Opening Questions: What do you learn about prayer from Jesus’ prayer in this chapter? What questions do you have from the text? The gospels attest that Jesus was a man of prayer (see Luke 3.21; 5.16; 6.12; 9.18,28; 11.1; 22.42; 23.34,46). However, we rarely see the contents of His prayers (Matthew 6.9f is an example... Continue Reading →

Opening questions: How did Jesus prepare His disciples for the hatred of the world? Why was the coming of the Helper so important? What questions do you have from the text? As Jesus continued His discourse with the apostles, the tone shifted slightly. Whereas the first part of the discourse focused on how the disciples... Continue Reading →

Opening Questions: How did Jesus seek to comfort His disciples in John 14.1-15.17? How does a vine and its branches represent our relationship with Jesus (John 15.1-11)? What questions do you have from the text? As Jesus’ hour approached, John recorded on two occasions that the Lord’s spirit was troubled. The first was after Greeks... Continue Reading →

Opening Questions: What was the significance of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (hint: it was significant for more than one reason)? Why did Jesus reveal that Judas would betray Him and that Peter would deny Him? What questions do you have from the text? All four gospel accounts record Jesus’ celebrating the Passover with His... Continue Reading →

Opening Questions: John 12 records Jesus’ “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem when the crowds heralded His arrival. However, the same crowd would demand His crucifixion. How does John 12 prepare us for the peoples’ rejection of Jesus? What questions do you have from the text? The raising of Lazarus from the dead was a truly notable... Continue Reading →

Opening Questions: What do you learn about how believers can struggle with their faith? How did raising Lazarus from the dead glorify both Jesus and the Father? What questions do you have from the text? One of the opening claims about Jesus was "In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men"... Continue Reading →

Opening Questions: What qualities does Jesus possess that allow Him to be the “good shepherd”? What benefits do we receive from being His sheep? What questions do you have from the text? The Good Shepherd (vss. 1-21) Psalm 23 is one of the best known and loved passages in the entire Bible. The depiction of... Continue Reading →

Opening Questions: What contributed to the spiritual blindness found in this chapter? How does the sign of Jesus restoring the sight of blind man increase your faith? What questions do you have from the text? Several times in chapter 8 Jesus promised freedom to those who would truly believe in Him: Vs. 12: “I am... Continue Reading →

Opening Questions: Why did the people who believed in Jesus (vs. 30) ultimately wish to stone Him (vs. 59)? What do we learn about Jesus’ relationship with the Father? What questions do you have from the text? The Truth Will Set You Free (vss. 31-38) Jesus’s words in vss. 31-32 need to be understood in... Continue Reading →

Opening Questions: What do we learn about Jesus’ purpose in vss. 1-11? What do we learn about Jesus’ relationship with the Father? What questions do you have from the text? Jesus Came To Save, Not Condemn (vss. 1-11) Because vss. 1-11 are not found in many of the ancient manuscripts, several translations do not include... Continue Reading →