Read John 14:1-14

What is Truth? Don’t all religions believe the same thing? I assume you have heard others and maybe even thought this once or twice yourself. Jesus clearly shows us that there is a difference in His message vs others. Jesus does not say that He is a way, rather that He is the way. The gospel (good news of Jesus) is drastically different than other religions, philosophies, and ways of life. The gospel says I need rescued while religion says I just need to be improved. The gospel says I am powerless to rescue myself while religion says that I can become better. The gospel is God’s plan to get to us while religion is man’s attempt to get to God. The gospel is the overarching story of God’s plan to rescue us while religion is man’s attempt to confuse God’s plan with his own. The gospel plan is Jesus + NOTHING while religion’s plan is Jesus + or – SOMETHING! The gospel produces grace and peace while religion leads to guilt and pride. In religion man seeks the glory, but in the gospel, God gets all the credit!

Q: Why can it be hard for people to accept Jesus as the truth?

Q: What about His message (the gospel) is counter cultural?

Q: Why is it so hard for humanity to accept the fact that we need rescued? In what respects is humanity ‘caught in prison’ before embracing the gospel?

Q: What is something that you have seen added or subtracted to Jesus that is embraced in religion?

Q: How does religion ascribe glory to man? In what manner does the gospel ascribe glory to God?

Q: Why is it essential to embrace Jesus as truth in all areas of our lives?

Read John 8:31-59

There’s a great passage in the Gospel of John, where some people think they know who Jesus is and they accuse Him of being someone He’s not. And so, Jesus responds ultimately in one very loaded statement and He reveals to us in just a few words an awful lot about who He is. After an argument with some Jewish seekers, Jesus changes everything with one single statement. It was either the most heinous, deceptive, psychotic thing He could say, or it was the most life-giving, beautiful, illuminating, wonderful truth that they, and we, could ever know. Jesus said in verse 58, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born (came into being), I am!” Jesus was equating Himself with God! In Exodus 3:13-14 God tells Moses to tell the Israelites that “I AM” (Jehovah, Yahweh) sent him to them. Jesus was telling these Jews that He was God, and they understood exactly what He meant, because they immediately wanted to stone Him, the punishment for blasphemy.

Jesus is a polarizing figure. We all have a choice to make with Jesus Christ. There’s no riding the fence. We must either dismiss Him as a mentally ill or trying to deceive and manipulate the world or accept and follow Him as the Savior of the world. This is a huge decision. The whole trajectory of our lives and what we hold as truth depends on what we believe about Jesus Christ.

Q: Why is it significant that Jesus claimed this about Himself?

Q: What would you have thought of Him had He not? How else could He have conveyed that He was God?

Q: What possible alternatives are there to believe about Jesus?

Q: What would you say to someone who says I believe in God, and I think Jesus was a real human, just not God?

Read John 8:44, 1 Peter 5:8-9 & Revelation 12:9-11

Within the context of the passage yesterday where Jesus claimed He was God, we are introduced to an adversary. Throughout Scripture we are told not

to be afraid of him, paralyzed by him, but that we need to wake up to the reality that we have an enemy and he is bent on our destruction! Our enemy Satan, the devil, is prowling around looking to destroy. It is important and essential that we understand his techniques, his methods. Satan is a deceiver and Father of lies. He will masquerade as an angel of light and try to deceive and trick us to consume us. We need to learn to recognize that he is in the weeds looking for an opportunity, but we have been given the power to resist him by standing firm in the faith. Our hope through this guide and series is that we won’t run in fear, but rather resist him in faith!

Q: What names, pictures and images best depict the overall view of Satan according to the biblical portrayal of this mysterious and crafty character?

Q: What might your previous answer say about your understanding of Satan and his work?

Q: How do we properly acknowledge Satan’s influence without minimizing the power of the Holy Spirit?

Q: What lies has Satan tried to have you personally believe?

Q: How do you wage war against those thoughts and lies? What does a biblical view of Satan do to change the interactions we have with those around us?

Read Romans 3:9-26 

Luke Bryan, one of the most successful country artists has a song entitled “Most people are good”.  This song depicts the belief of most as a 2019 study found that 83% of people surveyed believed that individuals are fundamentally good.  The idea that man by nature is a depraved sinner runs contrary to most modern religious, psychological and philosophical views of the basic nature of man.  Just in this one passage we see that 1—no one is without sin, 2—no one seeks after God, 3—there is no one who is good, 4—their speech is corrupted by sin, 5—their actions are corrupted by sin, and 6—above all, they have no fear of God.  Sin affects all areas of our being including who we are and what we do.  Our natural tendency is to sin.  Paul’s analysis is that the reason we do bad actions is because of our corrupt conditions. The descriptions he uses in chapter 3 are less about our action and more about our conditions. Therefore, sin is not so much a matter of whether you’re doing bad things or good things. Tim Keller says “Sin is mainly a matter of what you’re doing your doing for.” We’re being told sin makes you want to get away from God. Not go toward him; get away.  Sin is relational before it becomes behavioral.   Tim Keller says, verse 21 is one of the biggest transitions in the whole Bible. God is going to change us, but it’s not going to be by the law, but rather through faith alone, by grace alone in Christ alone.   

Q:  Why is understanding my sin and flesh (sinful nature) an essential component of the gospel message? 

Q:  What descriptions of our flesh stand out to you in this passage? 

Q:  The Bible teaches that the root cause of man’s problem is not the environment he is raised in but his wicked and selfish heart.  How can you personally attest to this truth? 

Q:  For salvation, all you need is need!  Why is it hard for us to admit we are sinful creatures? 

Read Ephesians 6:1-20 

Paul says that the conflict isn’t against flesh and blood.  In other words, it‘s not a human problem, it’s not a struggle of man against man.  We’re tempted to say that our problem is other people, that we struggle against flesh and blood; but Paul says we can’t explain life adequately on that level. We must look further; we must look deeper than that. The problem isn’t against flesh and blood. Rather, there’s set against the whole human race certain principalities and powers, world rulers of darkness, wicked spirits in high places. These are our problem.  These are the enemies we’re up against.  And yet, where are these enemies?  I can’t see them!  I can’t touch them!  So how do I know they exist?   

As a society, even as Christians, we tend to accept as reality only those things that we can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste. The ring on my finger is real, I can feel it.  The food in the microwave is real, I can smell it.  I know that they’re real, because I can experience them with the senses God has given me. But when we begin to talk about things that are invisible, things not seen, heard, touched, smelled, or tasted, we tend to think that those things aren’t real.  We may say they are, but our lives tell a different story. 

One of Satan’s most effective strategies is the delusion that no seriously threatening conflict between good and evil is really waging in a supernatural realm.  Whether we buy into his strategy depends on our worldview. A worldview is basically the lens through which we perceive reality – it determines what you believe and the way you look at life.  There are basically two ways of understanding our world, either through a natural/materialistic worldview or through a spiritual worldview, that there is a realm outside of the physical. 

Q:  Why can it be difficult to acknowledge the reality of the invisible world around us? 

Q:  When was the last time that you considered that a struggle or relational conflict may be associated/influenced by satanic opposition?  How would this change our reactions to these events? 

Q:  What have you previously been taught about the unseen realm? 

Read Ephesians 6:1-20 

Paul is letting us know that we’re in a conflict, a battle of good and evil.  He wants us to be aware of the forces at work around us so that we’re better able to defend ourselves in Christ.  The fact that Paul introduces this concept of spiritual warfare in the mix of relationships with one another, godly families and work relationships that honor God suggest that none of these things can be achieved without expecting some kind of conflict.  As we live out the Christian life we find ourselves in a lifelong struggle against forces that want to see us fail.  We’re under attack! 

You see, the true Christian described in Ephesians 1-3 who walks in Christ as described in chapters 4-6 – can be sure that he/she will be involved in the spiritual warfare being described here.  If we’re walking worthy of our calling, in humility rather than pride; in unity rather than bitterness; in the new self rather than the old; in love rather than lust; in light rather than darkness; in wisdom rather than foolishness; in the fullness of the Spirit rather than our self-indulgences; then we can be certain we’ll be opposed – under attack.   

Q:  Our foe is formidable, and we must respect him, but not fear him or be preoccupied by it.  How do we discern the difference between respecting him and fearing him? 

Q:  We are told be strong and to put on the full armor of God in order to stand against the schemes of the devil!  What observations can you make from this passage about the armor of God?   

Q:  How does it make you feel that you are under attack from Satan?  How does it impact how you live your life day to day? 

Read Ephesians 6:10-20, 1 Timothy 4:1, Rev. 12:9 

In verse 11, Paul tells us to stand against the devil’s schemes.  The Greek word for schemes, from which we get our word “methods,” was often used to describe a wild animal who would stalk and unexpectedly pounce on its victim.   Satan’s methods revolve around cunning deception. Jesus said that when the devil lies, he speaks out of his very nature.  He first appears in the Bible in Genesis 3 using deception to lure Adam and Eve into sin. He specializes in mixing enough truth with falsehood, to make it seem possible.  Satan is the ultimate spin doctor.  In Rev. 12:9, he’s called the one “who leads the whole world astray.” Satan will deceive us about how powerful he is. Many people ascribe power to Satan that he doesn’t have, giving him more credit than he deserves. Satan capitalizes on our fear by attacking us—usually when we’re alone, when it’s dark, and we’re weak.  We need to be able to understand and defeat Satan without glorifying Him. Satan wants to make you turn left when you ought to turn right.  He wants to make you miserable when you ought to be happy, taste defeat when you ought to be celebrating victory.  He wants to ruin your life and turn you from God.  It’s easy to focus too much on what Satan can do and be intimidated. Instead, we should focus on our resources in Christ so we can meet Satan’s challenges with confidence. 

Q:  Satan is a disguise artist who is alive and active.  In what ways do you feel like he could deceive the church? 

Q:  Why is it hard to discern truth mixed with falsehood?   

Q:  What aspects of the armor of God help protect us from believing his lies?  What weapons are we given to combat his attack? 

Read 1 Peter 5:8-9, James 4:7, 1 John 4:4 & 5:4-5, Rev. 12:11 

In most, if not all sports, there are offensive and defensive strategies.  A big part of any defensive strategy is understanding the opponent.  Satan is a created spirit, an angel, who was once the highest of all created beings.  He was a guardian of God’s glory, and the nature of his sin was pride.  Satan is given many names throughout Scripture such as the Devil (1 Peter 5), Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12), Evil One (1 John 5:19), Tempter (1 Thess. 3:5), Prince of this world (John 12:31), Accuser (Rev. 12:10), Serpent (Gen. 3), Dragon (Rev. 12:3) and Angel of Light (2 Cor. 11:14).  He seeks to attack the Church through false philosophies (Col. 2:8), false religions (1 Cor. 10:19), false ministers (2 Cor. 11:14-15), false doctrine (1 John 2:18), false disciples (Matthew 13) and false morals (2 Thess. 2:7).  Though his power is limited (Job 1:12), he attacks through directing governments (Dan. 10:13), persecuting the saints (Rev. 2:10), planting doubt (Gen. 3:1-2), provoking sin (1 John 2:16), producing cults (1 Timothy 4:1), deceiving men (2 Cor. 4:4) and destroying life (Hebrews 2:14).  Satan is alive and active, and he seeks to blind the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4), to steal the word of God (Matthew 13:19), to set traps for people (2 Timothy 2:26) and to block ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:18).   

Q:  In preparation for a game, what do you do? 

Q:  What sticks out to you about the above description of our opponent? 

Q:  What is our opponent’s ultimate goal? 

Q:  What do today’s verses say about our game plan?

Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Philippians 4:4-9 

This passage opens with an assumption that we are all part of an invisible war and the major battlefield is fought in the mind.  It is not a war as the world knows it, but it is a war fought in our minds.  Our minds are battlefields where moral and spiritual battles are waged and we are under attack every second of the day. The devil’s chief target is the mind, because the most effective way to influence behavior is to influence thinking.    

The passage also encourages us to recognize enemy propaganda and detect enemy camps. Propaganda in this passage is arguments, pretensions and thoughts against the knowledge of God. Propaganda is a form of communication from the devil aimed towards influencing the attitude of Christians by presenting sin to be favorable.  Enemy camps are incorrect thinking patterns.  Enemy camps are built upon deception and lies that we’ve accepted into our minds that are against the knowledge of God.    

Lastly, the passage offers hope in the war.  We have been empowered to destroy and take captive the enemy. We have been given weapons in this war that have divine power to destroy thoughts against the knowledge of God. One of these weapons is the Word of God!  

Q: What observations can you make about the battle? Our enemy? God? Our role? Our mind?  

Q: What are some healthy ways to overcome incorrect thinking?  

Q: Describe your personal process of being made new in the attitude of your mind?

Read Romans 6 

In this passage, Paul uses the powerful imagery of a slave to describe the effects sin has on our lives.  Most people would describe themselves as free and independent thinkers, but in reality, we are all a slave of Satan (sin) or Jesus (righteousness).  A Christ follower can’t continue in a lifestyle of sin, living as though nothing is different except that they will go to heaven when they die.  Sin devastates everything – including the life of a believer.  How so?  

Sin makes you a slave.  Sin makes you ashamed – it’s difficult to go about your day with joy when you feel shame.  Sin spreads death wherever it goes – perhaps to your friends and family who are impacted by your sin.  Sin robs us of the excitement and blessing of serving God effectively.  Only God knows the blessings and opportunities we miss because we are deliberately allowing things in our lives that we know are wrong.  We can’t be ready to take the battle to the enemy if there is sin in our camp.  

Q What does Paul list as some of the effects in the life of a Christ follower if they keep on sinning?  

Q.  What does it mean to be a slave of God?  What behaviors in your life would you have to change to become a better slave of God?  

Q: Why do you and I continue to struggle with sin even after we’ve said yes to Jesus? 

Read Romans 7:1- 25  

In Chapter 7, Paul is very open about his personal battle with sin and describes it as a conflict, a struggle and a daily war.  We struggle with living up to what we know we ought to be.  We struggle with repeated personal failures even when we confess and vow to “never do that again.”  We struggle with admitting that the war with in-dwelling sin is on-going and we are barely making it. For all of us, there are only three things we can do with our sin. We can deny our sin like so many do. We can try to deal with it on our own even when we know that doesn’t work. Lastly, we can admit it and turn to God and Jesus Christ for forgiveness.  In order to achieve victory, we need to be honest and humble.  Honesty says “I am a wretched sinner” and humility says “I cannot save myself.”  Struggling with sin doesn’t make you a bad person or a loser.  You shouldn’t compare yourself to other Christ followers who seem (on the outside) to have it all together.  Your struggle with sin makes you a good candidate for grace.  

Q.  What are some of the ways that Paul describes his personal battle with sin?  

Q.  Do you sometimes get discouraged in your effort to break free from a pattern of repeating sin?  Does it seem like no matter how hard you try to stop a certain sin, it just continues to creep into your life?  

Q.  Have you ever felt that you will never get victory over sin in your life, so why even try?  If trying harder isn’t the answer, what is?  (See verse 25 and get excited about what’s coming in Romans 8).

Read Romans 8:1 – 17  

Do you ever wonder “what does God really think of me?”  After the sobering words of Chapter 7, Paul gives us great news in Chapter 8.  He starts with the assurance that we are no longer condemned by God and ends with the declaration that we can never be separated from God.  God places the Holy Spirit in charge of the process of taking us from death and a slave to sin into our new position of freedom and union with Jesus.  Satan was our old boss – the Holy Spirit is our new boss.  Our old manager controlled us with sex, money, worry, and fear.  Our new boss empowers us with love, joy, peace, and patience.  

The Holy Spirit first works to change our mind-set (vs. 5 – 8).  Satan wants us to think temporally (about things of this world) but God wants eternal issues to dominate our mind.  In verses 9 – 13, Paul describes the work of the Holy Spirit in changing our nature and giving us victory over our sin nature.  Lastly, in verses 14 – 17, Paul encourages our heart with the details of our new position in Christ.  We are now considered a joint heir with Jesus – a true child who is encouraged to call God, Abba (i.e. Daddy).  

Q.  What does the Spirit want to do in our lives if He is free to work on our behalf?  

Q.  What does it look like to set your mind on things of the flesh? What dominates your mind when you have an earthly mind-set?  

Q.  What does it look like to set you mind on heavenly (eternal) things?  How would it change your life if you were to concentrate more on heavenly things and less on earthly things?  

Q.  What changes could you make in your life today to focus more on these eternal things?  

Read Romans 8:18-38 

There are many wonderful truths in Romans 8. The beginning and ending of the chapter help the reader understand the context and content of the rest of the other verses. Paul starts by saying there is no condemnation  for those who are in Christ Jesus. This shows God’s mercy—Him not giving us what we deserve. It ends with the fact that we also cannot be separated from His love. This is God’s grace—Him giving us what we do not deserve.  

These verses talk about some of the very basic human struggles. Trouble and hardships are things that everyone faces, whether you are a teacher, a boss, a parent or a child. Most of life seems to be full of tough things. The Christians that Paul was writing to were facing severe persecution and death for following Jesus Christ. Paul realized this struggle could cause them to fear, but he wanted them to know that nothing, absolutely nothing, could separate them from the love of God.   

1. What difficulties or hardships are you currently facing?  How can Christ overcome fear of these things? 

1. How does it change the way you identify yourself to know you are more than a conqueror through Christ who loves you? 

Q:  How has God’s justice been met through Jesus advocacy?  

Q:  God’s mercy is constant and cannot be reversed.  How does understanding that eternal is irrevocable impact our life on earth?

Read Colossians 2:13-15, 1 Peter 5:10-11, Hebrews 2:14-15 & 11:1-6, 39-40  

We should never underestimate Satan; however, we must also gain a clear picture of his abilities and not overstate his case.  Understand that Satan is not equal to God, he’s a created being; only God is God.  God is omnipotent – all powerful – Satan is not.  God is omnipresent – He’s everywhere at once; Satan can only be in one place at a time.  God is omniscient – He knows all things; Satan doesn’t know everything.  He knows a great deal and is able to be a good predictor of actions and events, but he doesn’t know the future.  The greatest reason for our victory in the battle is that the decisive battle in spiritual warfare has already been fought and won by Christ through the cross and resurrection.  

Q: Think about what “the end” will be like.  Do you think about it enough?  What are you most excited about when you think of Jesus coming back?  Is there anything that brings you fear?  Why?    

Q: How do you think you’ll feel about the life you lived at that point, when you see Jesus face to face?  

Q: How has/will God use your trials, pain, sorrow and suffering to achieve an eternal glory?  

Q: In what aspects of your life are you currently exercising faith?  Do you believe He will reward those who earnestly seek Him?  

Q: What are ways for you to live now with the end in mind?  How will your life change?  What are some practices you want to instill?  What are some current practices you want to stop?

There are many misconceptions about this member of the Trinity.  The Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is God: a divine person with a mind, emotions and will.  The Holy Spirit possesses both omnipresence (Psalm 139:7-8) and omniscience (1 Cor. 2:10-11).  Today we look more into the promised Comforter and Counselor that Jesus promised.    

Read John 14:15-27 and Ephesians 4:30-32 

Q: How is the Holy Spirit described in the John passage?  

Q: What is the job of the Holy Spirit?   

Q:  How do you personally interact with the Holy Spirit?  

Q:  How have you seen God (The Holy Spirit) provide you with peace and comfort amidst our struggle with the world, the flesh and the devil? 

Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20  

The Holy Spirit was given to us to help us communicate with God and how He helps us understand things we cannot grasp on our own. Another aspect correlated to the Holy Spirit is that we are His temple.  Christ has redeemed us and bought us at a price.  Upon acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit, who resides in us, making us His temple.  

As the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, we are called to live in a way that glorifies and honors God. What immoral example does Paul use in this passage to communicate the importance of being God’s temple?  Why do you think he chooses this example?  How have you done treating your body as the temple of God? 

What a privilege it is to have a God that wants His Spirit to dwell in us. We can be comforted that He will always be with us. How might we face life in a different way knowing that God’s Spirit dwells in us?

How does it change the way you identify yourself to know that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture (1 Peter 1:21), the deposit or down payment on our heavenly inheritance (Eph. 1:13-14), our intercessor (Rom. 8:26) and a teacher/comforter/advocate and counselor that we saw two days ago in John 14.  Today we will look at His role convicting of Sin and Guider of Truth!  

Read John 16:1-33  

Q: How does this passage allude to the working relationship of the Holy Spirit with the other two persons of the triune God?   

Q: What will the Holy Spirit help communicate to us?   

Q:  Describe the work of the Holy Spirit as seen in this passage?  

Q:  Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin?  What should this process look like?  

Q:  Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth?  What should this process look like?  

Q: What is an area you have felt like the Holy Spirit is leading you into that you have been apprehensive to try?  

When the Holy Spirit enters our life, God allows  us to gain an understanding of some things we were not able to understand before. There are many things that God allows us to understand by revealing it through the Holy Spirit. It is what some might call a moment “when the light bulb went on.”  This Spirit of Wisdom allows us to navigate the attacks from Satan, our world and our own flesh.   
 

Read Ephesians 1:15-23  

Q: Have you had moments where it seemed like someone flipped the switch so that you could see things differently?  

Q: Have there been moments spiritually where you have experienced a deeper understanding of God’s love, our sin, His forgiveness, etc.?  If so, what brought about this change?

Q: What is one thing that you could pray for and ask God that He would help you understand it in a new or deeper way? 

Q: How does it change the way you identify yourself within the spiritual conflict to know that you have received the spirit of wisdom and that Christ wants to help you understand things in a fuller way? 

Read Philippians 3:18, Galatians 5:13-26 & 6:8 

Some are in Him and some are not. Paul assumes this everywhere in his writings. There are those “in Christ” and there are those “outside.” Paul is not a universalist.  These are two kinds of people, those who belong to God and those who do not.   Every human being is completely in one spiritual state of being or the other; he either belongs to God or he does not…there is no middle ground.”  

The life governed by the flesh sees no higher principle than self.  It is self-seeking, self-pleasing and self-dependent.  Self-esteem is of utmost importance and we will do activities that contribute to building one’s self-esteem.  All external effort, often even religious expression is a mere tribute to self, rather than God.  It leads to a position of self-righteousness.    

JD Greear summarizes it in terms of 5 “self’s”:  Self-will – I want to be in charge, not Him.  Self-glory – I want the credit, not God.   Self-gratification – I prioritize my pleasures and comforts over the will of God.  Self-sufficiency – I have what it takes to overcome independent of God.  Self-righteousness- I can distinguish myself, be good enough and earn my acceptance.  

Q:  What is the overriding characteristic of those who are controlled by the flesh?  What does it look like to set your minds on things of the flesh? How do you consistently fight against your innate desires? 

Q:  Why is it futile for one to try and please God in the flesh? 

Q:  What is the overriding characteristic of those controlled by the Spirit?  How does the Holy Spirit free us from the power of sin?  

Q:  Do you feel like you experience freedom in the Christian life?  Why or why not?

Have you ever felt intense hostility or extreme aversion to something to someone else?  Today’s passage talks about the hate that Jesus experienced without reason.  Love is how Jesus lived, yet what He extended was not always reciprocated. As we seek to follow Jesus, what is a proper expectation for us to have regarding how the world may respond to us?  

Read John 15:18-27  

Q:  Why does Jesus say those who have said Yes to Christ do not belong to the world?  

Q:  Why can the gospel message be offensive to others?  

Q:  How have you noticed others negatively respond to the gospel?  

Q:  How can we ensure we are not the ones being offensive, rather it is the message we are called to share?  

Q:  What comfort does this passage give you as navigate the difficulties of living in this world?  

A trial is a proceeding in which opposing parties dispute, present evidence, and make arguments before a judge or jury about their case.  Jesus was put on trial multiple times regarding who He said He was, and the circumstances surrounding these trials were very unfair and unjust!  His mindset through these unjust circumstances highlights the depth of God’s love for us and the extent to which He went to offer salvation to the world.   

Matthew 26:36-75, John 3:16-21 

Q:  Describe in your own words the circumstances surrounding the arrest and trials of Jesus?    

Q:  What emotions do you envision Jesus and His disciples were feeling through this period?   

Q:  What do you think was on Jesus’ mind as He navigated the final days before His death?  How clear was His purpose in fulfilling God’s will?  

Q:  What mindset did Jesus have regarding opposition He would face from the world?  What does the passage in John tell us about His purpose? 

Read Matthew 27:1-31, John 3:16-21 

The crowd was getting ugly and Pilate needed to defuse the situation. He knew he had an innocent man on his hands. But Jesus offered nothing—He didn’t even defend himself. Pilate was at a crossroads and did the practical thing. He washed his hands of the whole affair and let the miscarriage of justice continue.  

Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. When He was accused by the chief priests and the elders, He gave no answer. Then Pilate asked Him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. 

Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time, they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So, when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you:  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.   

While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.  

Q: Judas was struck with guilt saying, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”  How would Jesus have responded to Judas’ guilt?  

Q: Why did the crowd choose to free Barabbas over Jesus?  

Q:  Imagine yourself in the crowd.  How do you think you would have responded?  Why is it important to recognize that our sin is what nailed Him to the cross?  

Q:  Isaiah prophesied about the rejection and humiliation that Jesus would face.  How do these circumstances that Jesus face allow Him to empathize with our pain?

Read 1 John 4:7-11 & John 3:17-20 

It does not do any good to talk about love and compassion without demonstrating it. God has demonstrated His love to the world.  God’s love is not a superficial love or a feeling type of love. God’s love is truly sacrificial and perfect love.  God is an example of an all-in love.   Jesus is the definition and model of the love of God.  God has lavished His love on us.  LOVE is EXEMPLIFIED BY GOD.  God sets no limits on His love; God does not love by rule or statue; God does not love piecemeal or conditionally; God loves totally and completely, and that total love opens God up to be hurt or rejected.  He loves unconditionally, sacrificially, with forgiveness and eternally. 

Q: Why is it important to embrace that Jesus came to save the world, not condemn it?  What implications does this have for us, His followers? 

Q: Why is our sin such a big deal to God? 

Q:  Could God still love and not take sin seriously? Why or why not? 

Q:  What does the cross communicate about the holiness of God? What does the cross communicate about the love of God? Why are the two inseparable? 

Read the following passage through multiple times.   

Q:  What does this passage say about the world? 

Q:  What does this passage say about our flesh? 

Q:  What does this passage say about Jesus’ attitude towards both? 

Q:  What does Jesus generously offer to the world? 

Titus 3:3-7 – “3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”

Hebrews 4:12  -“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” 

This verse talks about the power of God’s Word in our lives. In this verse we see that God’s Word is alive. The Bible is not simply a book we read, but it is how we hear from God. The Bible is how He chooses to speak to us. The same God that spoke and the worlds came into being speaks to us and desires to bring life where there is no life, hope where there is no hope. Not only is the Bible living but it is active.  The Bible is not simply a book of information, but it is a book of transformation. Through His Word God makes us wise to salvation and new life in Him. Through His Word, God challenges and changes us to make us more like Jesus. The Bible is not simply a book we go through but when we allow it to go through us, it does not leave us the same. The passage is clear to say that the Bible is exposing and has the ability to cut down to the core of our attitudes and motives.  God’s Word is not simply given to us for head knowledge but for heart health.  

Q: What are the biggest obstacles to reading your Bible? Memorizing your Bible?  Obeying your Bible?  

Q: How have you heard from God in His Word?  How has He transformed you through His Word?  What has been exposed about you in His Word?  

Read Luke 8:1-15  

Q: Am I scattering good seed?  

Q: Is my heart receptive?  

Q: Is my life responsive?

Acts 17: 11 - ”Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” 

The Bible helps me to know the story of Jesus and the heart of God.  We want to know the Bible because it is useful to point us in the right direction, it teaches us!!  It shows us where to go!!  We should eagerly examine the Scriptures searching for God to know His heart!  

Q:  List multiple reasons for a daily reading of the Bible?  

Read Proverbs 2:1-5  

Q: How do these verses in Proverbs indicate we should study the Word?  

Q:  What should be our goal in studying the Bible?  

Q:  Besides being diligent, what else should we do in order to understand it?  

Read John 5:36-40  

Q: What is Jesus saying about God’s word in these verses?  

Q:  The Bible is FROM God, ABOUT Jesus, and FOR me.  How can I better read the Bible while looking for Jesus?  

Read James 1:19-27  

Q:  How can you evaluate whether you are listening to the Word of God?  

Q:  What does James say should be the result of being a doer of the Word?

Psalm 119: – “9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word….11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  

Temptation constantly is popping into our everyday lives; it’s inevitable. Whether you’re eye balling that extra piece of chocolate cake, or thinking about lying and calling in sick, temptation is there trying to creep into our heads and alter our motives. There are even times when Satan tries to misinterpret scripture to get us to fall into temptation; like with Adam and Eve. In today’s reading you will see how Jesus responded to temptation when face to face with the devil himself.  

Read Matthew 4:1-11 & Hebrews 4:15 

Q: Describe Jesus’ physical and mental state while He was being tempted. Why is this important to keep in mind?   

Q: What is the difference between the ways Jesus uses the Scripture and the way Satan uses it? Read the quoted passages and spot the differences.   

Q: What does this passage reveal to us about Jesus’ character?  What does it mean to you to know that Christ was tempted in every way, yet lived without sin? How can this give you strength in your struggles?  

Q:  What are some temptations that you are currently struggling with? What lies of the devil have attracted or tempted you?  

Q: How can scripture help you to overcome temptation? Do you have a discipline of memorizing God’s word? How might a steady diet on the Word of God help you fight temptations better?

Prayer is one of the key weapons that we are given to fight against Satan, so naturally Satan will do everything in his power to keep us from using it against him! He will try and convince us that it’s not important or that there’s no power behind it, but we see here in this verse that that’s simply not true! Prayer is a powerful weapon against the attacks of Satan.  In a nutshell, prayer involves two things: Talking with and listening to God.  

Read Matthew 6:9-15, James 4:7, 2 Corinthians 10:4 

Jesus’s disciples asked Him how to pray.  Jesus taught them how to pray in Matt 6:9-15.  Generally, Jesus’ prayer had four components: Praise, Asking, Repentance, Yielding.  Many use Jesus’ model of prayer in the Lord’s Prayer as a general form in which to pray.  An easy way to remember each of these components is the acronym P.R.A.Y.  

PRAISE (Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name….):   

ASK (Give us this day our daily bread…)  

REPENTANCE (Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors….)  

YIELD: (your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.)  

Q:  What does this verse promise to the one who resists the devil? 

Q:  What do you think it means to resist the devil? 

Q:  How can we pray in such a way that we can use our prayers to oppose Satan’s plans? 

Q:  How could knowing that your prayers can actually be used as a weapon against Satan change the way that you pray?

Read Matthew 6:9-15, Ephesians 6:18 & James 1:2-5 

Jesus taught us to pray, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”  If we are honest, it is a strange way to pray at first glance because God says in James 1:13 that He does not ever tempt anyone.  So why would we pray for God to do something He already said He would never do? Actually, the answer surrounds the word “temptation”.  The Greek word used here is “peirasmon” and it is full of meaning.  It can mean a temptation or trap for evil or a test and trial that can produce good things.  There is a chapter in the Bible that uses the same word in both ways (James 1).  Trials are something we are to count joy when we face because they produce good things while temptation is something to be recognized and avoided so it does not end up producing death.    

When we pray this way, in a sense, we are praying with eyes wide opened to the fact that we will face tests but that is not all. When we pray this way, we are saying that I do not want my tests to trap me, instead I want them to train me.  Satan will take a good test and make it a trap.  God wants to develop faith in my test and Satan wants to destroy faith.  God wants to develop character in my test and Satan would love for me to compromise character in this test!  The only way for me to get through this test is to run to God.   

After Jesus said, “Lead us not into temptation…” He followed it up with, “…and deliver us from the evil one.”  This is fascinating and revolutionary because it recognizes that it is my sin that I need delivered from not my pain.  WOW!  Truth be known, much of my praying is for God to deliver me from my pain, from my inconvenient circumstance, and my unpleasant situation.  Jesus teaches us instead to pray for God to deliver us from evil or giving in to the evil way under the pressure of the pain I might be feeling.  Pain is not the enemy, sin is.  I think that is what Jesus wants us to see here!    

 Q: What is the biggest test you are walking through right now? What can you see God producing in this test?  How do you think Satan might be able to trap you in this test?   How do you think being aware of this will change the way you pray?    

Q: How do you think times of trial can help you Know IT (Jesus and the power of the gospel)?  Q: How do trials help us Live IT (like Jesus transformed by the power of the gospel)?   

Q: How can painful testing create opportunity to Give IT (the story of Jesus in the gospel) away? 

Jesus was tempted by the devil during a 40 day fast.  Fasting is voluntarily abstaining from things such as food, for a period of time for spiritual purposes.  Christian fasting isn’t some kind of “work” that’s commanded by Christ or required by Scripture. However, that doesn’t mean that fasting isn’t recommended as a part of our spiritual growth.  Fasting is mentioned over 40 times in the Old Testament and over 20 times in the New Testament.  Many followers of Christ testify to possessing a greater amount of discipline in their lives once they began fasting on a regular basis. The discipline of conquering the desire to eat transfers over to other areas. To demonstrate that we are seeking God “with all our heart.” Fasting puts things in proper focus. It is a physical way of saying, “Food and the things of this life are not as important to me now as (fill in the blank). Andrew Murray said, “Fasting helps to express, to deepen, and to confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything – to sacrifice ourselves – to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.”  

Read Matthew 4:1-11, 6:16-18 & 9:14-17 

Q:  Why did Jesus say it was not time for his disciples to fast?  When did He expect the appropriate time to fast would be?  

Q:  What should be the appropriate reason/reasons to fast?  

Q:  Why do you think our culture does not mention the spiritual discipline of fasting very often?  

Q:  How can fasting for spiritual purposes strengthen our resolve to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil? 

We are relational beings. God has existed in perfect community within Himself for all eternity.  We see in the creation account, that God says, “Let us make man in our image (Gen. 1:26).”  Humans were not created to live in isolation, but rather having meaningful relationships with each other.  How may this fact influence how we grow closer to God?  

Read Acts 2:42-47 & 4:32-35, Hebrews 19:19-25 

Q:  In your own words, describe what you think is happening in the early church?  

Q:  What elements were present in their community?  

Q:  Think about one past environment where you experienced true community.  What helped you to know that you belonged, were accepted, valued and perhaps even loved?  How have you experienced the sweetness of sharing life together?  

Q:  What is required of me to experience community?  

Q:   Why does true biblical community spur one another onto love and good deeds?  

Q:  How have other believers spurred you on?

Read James 5:16, Psalm 32:5 & Psalm 51  

We have heard the argument often.  Why do I need to confess if I am already forgiven?  Why do I need to confess to others if I can go straight to God?  Confession restores joy!  Even though we’re forgiven, we still feel sad.  Confession forces us to live in humility.  God desires for us to come to Him broken and we know too well that you can’t fix something that isn’t broken.  Lastly, confession brings us freedom from guilt.  Even though we are forgiven, we may still experience guilt.  God promises to lift that guilt and bring peace.  Do we want to be free?    

Q:  Consider walking through the 10 commandments (Exodus 20) and consider where you might need to confess sins in each of the following commandments?  

Q:  What do we learn about the heart of confession from David’s prayer in Psalm 51?  

Q:  Do you have trusted friends that you feel comfortable sharing specific sins to?  How can you create vulnerability in a relationship that will facilitate confession more easily?  

Q:  How can you better incorporate the practice of confession in your spiritual walk?