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Easter Confessions

Lesson 1So Must the Son of Man Be Lifted Up ..............................3John 3:14-21

Lesson 2You Are the Christ ............................................................8John 11:17-27, 38-40

Lesson 3The Whole World Has Gone after Him............................13John 12:12-19

Lesson 4I Have Seen the Lord ......................................................18John 20:1-18

Lesson 5My Lord and My God ....................................................23John 20:19-31

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 each

session is important for the

adults you teach.

Seek Understandingpresents helful Bible Background

informations and insights that will help

you better understand the Scripture.

Teaching Outlineprovides you with an outline

of the main themes in the

Study Guide.

My Teaching Plan is a

convenient place for you to

make notes for teaching the

session.

Offer Illustrations presents material that will help you paint

a picture of the session. This section often presents items from

church history, current events, or interesting anecdotes that

help introduce the session.

Discussion provides teaching activitiees that will help learners

discuss the Scripture text.

Questions presents multiple collections of questions for

various kinds of adults.

Involve Learners helps learners become actively involved

with 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 section

to tailor the session to the needs of your group.

Find RelevanceWhy do adults care about thissession? People do not always

think theologically about theramifications of Jesus’ death and

Resurrection. Consequently, few peopletake the initiative to consider relevantquestions about what they believe andwhy. Both the narrative of Nicodemus—which this session addresses—and therecounting of the woman at the well inchapter 4 highlight the importance ofasking questions surrounding crucialissues related to an individual’s faith.This session assures those people who askpenetrating questions that it is okay to doso. And for those who only casually orrarely consider their beliefs about theChrist event, hopefully this session willstimulate them toward more involvedintrospection.

The Gospel of John is perhaps thedeepest reflection pool of theologicalinsight upon the events of Jesus’Crucifixion and Resurrection. It is alsoour best starting point for deliberationregarding the twin theological concepts ofjudgment and grace. Even though theseconcepts take on multi-faceted meaningswhen placed in context with the rest ofthe New Testament, the author of Johnpresents a unique understanding of thesefoundational elements of belief.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? John demonstrates a

wonderful knack for weaving asingle theme and/or character

throughout his entire Gospel. This isespecially true concerning this session’sScripture text, as it emphasizes the liftingup of the Son of Man. We should notethat this theme of “lifting up” recurs intwo more places in John (8:24 and 12:32-34). In studying for today’s session, it willbe helpful to examine these otherpassages for further clarification regard-ing the act of lifting up. The repetition ofthis theme points to the importance ofunderstanding the Crucifixion as an eventrevealing both the identity and nature ofGod.

Nicodemus, the subject of ourpassage, also shows up repeatedly atstrategic places throughout John’s Gospel.While he is first introduced as a ques-tioner, he reappears in 7:50-52 as atentative defender of Jesus. His finalappearance comes when he and Joseph ofArimathea anoint and bury Jesus’ body(19:39-42). Nicodemus becomes a modelof how one moves toward believing inJesus.

Another point to note is that mosttranslations indicate that Nicodemus is a“leader of the Jews” (3:1). These sessionswill employ the term “Judean.” It will behelpful to explain why the term “Judeans”

1Lesson Teaching Guide

SO MUST THE SON OF

MAN BE LIFTED UPJohn 3:14-21

is most accurate. Individuals in theancient world were typically identified bytheir geographical location—for instance,Galatians, Romans, Corinthians, andGalileans. Therefore, individuals living inand around Judea were termed Judeans.John clearly cites the Judean elites asJesus’ opponents, but it is important notto assume that all Judeans in John’sGospel disapprove of Jesus.

ResourceDietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (NewYork: Macmillan, 1960).

My Teaching Plan

Introduction: The fourth Gospel is filledwith examples of lengthy discourse betweenJesus and others. Chapter 3 is a perfectexample of the give-and-take conversationstyle typical of John.

I. The Characters and the Setting (1-2a)A. We meet Jesus and Nicodemus (1).B. The setting reveals when this

encounter took place and the condi-tion of Nicodemus’s understanding(2a).

II. Questions from Nicodemus/Answersfrom Jesus (2b-13)

III. An Old Testament Illustration (14-15)A. Nicodemus learns about the

Crucifixion through an Old Testamentillustration (Num 21:4-9).

1. Jesus must be lifted up and crucified(14).

2. The Crucifixion leads to eternal life(15).

IV. What the Crucifixion of Jesus Means forHumanity (16)

A. God is loving and giving (16a).B. Our responsibility is to believe (16b).

V. The Who and When of Judgment (17-18)A. Jesus rescues humanity (17).B. Judgment is inflicted upon those who

do not believe Jesus is the Son of God(18).

VI. An Explanation of How Judgment Works(19-21)

A. Judgment is defined through light anddarkness (19).

B. People’s beliefs reflect their actions(20-21).

4 Lesson 1

Offer IllustrationsHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ Cheap Grace and Costly GraceIn The Cost of Discipleship, the martyredGerman theologian Dietrich Bonhoefferdistinguishes between experiences ofcheap grace and costly grace. “Cheapgrace is the deadly enemy of ourChurch....Cheap grace means grace as adoctrine, a principle, a system. It meansforgiveness of sins proclaimed as ageneral truth, the love of God taught asthe Christian ‘conception’ of God. Anintellectual assent to that idea is held tobe of itself sufficient to secure remissionof sins.... Cheap grace is the preaching offorgiveness without requiring repentance,baptism without church discipline,Communion without confession, absolu-tion without personal confession. Cheapgrace is grace without discipleship, gracewithout the cross, grace without JesusChrist, living and incarnate” (35-6).

On the other hand, Bonhoeffer also notesthat, “...grace is costly because it calls us tofollow, and it is grace because it calls us tofollow Jesus Christ. It is costly because itcosts a man his life, and it is grace becauseit gives a [hu]man the only true life” (37).

Questions➤ How is grace cheapened by contempo-

rary culture? ➤ How do we convey to individuals inside

and outside the church the costliness ofgrace?

➤ While the word “grace” is never actuallyused in John 3:14-21, in what ways is itillustrated?

❍ Eternity in an HourReview with your group the poem byWilliam Blake found in the correspon-ding session from the Learner’s StudyGuide. Explain to them that WilliamBlake (1757-1827) was an English writer,

printer, and engraver. He believed thatindividuals who are sensitive to the worldaround them have the capacity for revela-tory insights which can lead toexperiencing the common world inuncommon ways.

Questions➤ What are your initial reactions to

Blake’s description of the experience ofeternal life?

➤ If eternal life is not just length, but alsoquality of time, how would you definethe concept for someone else?

➤ How have you experienced eternal lifeduring the past week?

Teaching Guide 5

DiscussionHow do I lead learners to dialogue about the session?

❍ The Experience of Being Lifted UpFrom the Romans’ perspective—as well asthat of numerous other first-centuryobservers—the lifting up of the Son ofMan was a tragic event filled with painand agony. Yet for those who have theadvantage of hindsight, this event was theexaltation of Jesus. Just like those whoexperienced the episode firsthand, readersof the Gospel also can discern God’s lovein action through Christ. God’s grace wasable to transform an experience of shameand pain into one of glory and power.

Questions➤ How have specific tragedies and crises

in the world (your local church, yourpersonal family, etc.) been transformedinto experiences of God’s grace?

➤ How can we discern God’s love in aworld filled with so much difficulty andpain?

➤ How can you as a follower of Christhelp others open themselves to thepossibility of transformation throughgrace?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ How does the story of Moses involving

the serpent on the pole foreshadowwhat will happen to Jesus?

➤ Does this encounter with Jesus affectNicodemus? How do you know?

➤ What does it mean to live in the presentunder the judgment of God?

Questions for All Adults➤ In what ways have you experienced

God’s grace this past week?➤ How can something as beautiful as love

also involve pain and suffering?➤ Nicodemus did not hesitate to interro-

gate Jesus. If you could ask Jesus onething, what would it be?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ What makes love difficult?➤ Why do people often choose the dark-

ness of the world instead of the light ofGod?

➤ What significance does the phrase“eternal life” hold for you?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ Who has been instrumental in helping

you experience the present as “aneternal moment”?

➤ If grace can be defined as “lovingkind-ness,” how have you experiencedlovingkindness this week?

➤ Why do you think people often associ-ate judgment with wrongdoing insteadof disbelief?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ Someone once said that for children,

there are not seven wonders of theworld, but seven million. What have youlearned from your children about expe-riencing the present as a wondrousmoment?

➤ What do you teach your children aboutgrace?

➤ In what ways have you suffered for orwith your children?

6 Lesson 1

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

❍ Abraham/Isaac and God/JesusA parallel noted by most scholars is estab-lished between God’s sending Jesus intothe world and God’s testing Abraham(Gen 22). Draw two columns on a piece ofnewsprint, heading one “Abraham-Isaac,”and the other “God-Jesus.” Then readGenesis 22:1-14 and John 3:14-21 aloud toyour group, asking them to help you iden-tify similarities in the two passages. Thenask them to identify differences.

❍ JudgmentJesus often used simple illustrations tomake his points and to generate thoughtabout important issues. Cartoons also canstimulate thought. Cartoonist GaryLarson of Far Side fame drew a cartoonthat raises interesting questions abouthow we perceive God’s judgment. Thesingle-frame illustration depicts God as awhite-bearded man sitting in heavenbefore his computer. On the computerscreen is a person totally oblivious to hisenvironment who is walking down thesidewalk, passing a tall building.Dangling by a puny rope above theperson’s head is a piano that is in theprocess of being moved into the building.As God gazes into the computer screen,his finger is poised above a button clev-erly labeled “Smite.”

Questions➤ Does this cartoon accurately portray

some people’s perception of God’sjudgment? Where do you think thisimage originated?

➤ Why do people assume that God’sjudgment is to blame when bad thingshappen (see Jn 9)?

➤ According to John 3:14-21, by whatcriteria does God make judgments?

➤ How can a person have good experi-ences abound while under God’sjudgment?

ClosureHow do I lead learners to respond?

❍ God’s Love RevealedHave the class brainstorm some non-traditional ways to reveal God’s love andgrace to the people in your community.Once you have created a list of five or sixideas, ask your participants which aremost viable, considering your group’scombined talents and resources. Once youhave eliminated all but one idea, ask themif they would be willing to accept it as aclass project. If so, you have work to do.In fact, they will need to begin immedi-ately making plans for how they willaccomplish the selected task. Close thesession with a prayer, asking God’s bless-ing upon your work.

❍ God’s Wide MercyEither read or lead the class in singing thehymn “There’s a Wideness in God’sMercy.” Once you are ready to conclude,lead the class in a prayer, challengingthem to share with others the grace ofGod revealed in Jesus.

Teaching Guide 7

2Find Relevance

Why do adults care about thissession? Most individuals

studying this session areChristians who more than likely

have made professions of faith, acceptingJesus as their Lord and Savior. However,many of these confessions were madeyears ago, others were genuinely made butnot sincerely followed up, and still othersmay have been simply going through themotions of what was expected. Thissession provides time for class membersto reconsider their confessions of Jesus asthe Christ and what that means for livingin the “nitty-gritty” of everyday life.

This session is relevant also because itdeals with the common denominator ofevery human life: death. Each person inyour group can empathize with Mary andMartha in their grief, for everyone eitherhas lost or eventually will lose someone todeath. While teaching this session, youwill need to be sensitive to any who mayhave only recently confronted a tragedylike this and are still experiencing thepain of loss. If death is, as one poet putsit, “the worm at the core of life,” thissession should help all students reaffirmthat for Christians, Christ is at the core oflife.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? This session focuses

on the last of seven signs inJohn’s Gospel. It is important to

help students distinguish between a signand a miracle. For example, in sometranslations the turning of water intowine (2:11) is called a miracle (see theKing James Version), but in John it isbetter interpreted as a sign. A sign inJohn’s Gospel always points beyond itselfto something greater, that “somethinggreater” being Jesus and his glory. Signsare intended to inspire belief in Jesus andthe one who sent him. However, whenindividuals in John’s Gospel discern onlythe miraculous, they miss the sign,mistaking it for a miracle and nothingmore. To label the signs in John as meremiracles is to see only the surface action,to neglect the underlying truth. Forexample, note the crowd’s response toJesus’ multiplying of loaves and fish in6:1-15: “Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, Itell you, you are looking for me, notbecause you saw signs, but because youate your fill of loaves’” (6:26).

Typically, the Gospel of John isdivided into four sections. Chapter 1 isthe introduction. The section composingchapters 2-12 is called the Book of Signs.Chapters 13-20, the third section, is theBook of Glory or the Book of Passion.And finally, chapter 21 is usually under-

Lesson Teaching Guide

YOU ARE

THE CHRISTJohn 17-27, 38-40

Teaching Guide 9

stood as an epilogue that ties togethersome loose ends from the Gospel. Today’sScripture passage comes from the Book ofSigns. The raising of Lazarus is the lastgreat sign before the Gospel moves intothe section dealing with Jesus’ privateteaching with his disciples and hisdeath/Resurrection.

ResourcesKarl Barth, Credo (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons,1962).

Ernest T. Campbell,“Are You Following Jesus orBelieving in Christ?” Seed (December 1982): 18-9.

My Teaching Plan

Introduction: Chapter 11 represents apivotal juncture in John’s retelling of Jesus’ministry.

I. Bethany and the Death of Lazarus (1-16)A. Jesus receives word of Lazarus’s illness,

but does not hurry to Bethany. Instead,he waits, indicating that this event isfor the glorification of the Son of God.

II. The Setting and Characters (17-20)A. Jesus arrives in Bethany and learns that

Lazarus has been entombed for fourdays (17-18).

B. Martha goes out to meet Jesus (19-20).

III. The Challenge from Martha and Jesus’Response (21-24)

A. Martha challenges Jesus, saying thatbecause of his tardiness, Lazarus hasdied. She does believe, however, thatJesus can still do something (21-22).

B. Jesus states that Lazarus will rise in thelast days (23).

C. Martha affirms her knowledge of thatfact (24).

IV. The Challenge from Jesus and Responseby Martha (25-27)

A. Jesus challenges Martha to recognizehim as the resurrected Christ (25-26).

B. Martha makes one of the greatestconfessions in the Bible about Jesus asthe Messiah, the Son of God (27).

V. Jesus’ Challenge to Believe in Him (38-40)A. Jesus comes to Lazarus’s tomb and is

greatly moved. He weeps because ofthe disbelief that surrounds him at thetomb (38).

B. Jesus commands that the tomb beopened. Martha’s concern about thesmell further emphasizes her disbelief(39).

C. Jesus challenges the onlookers tobelieve (40).


❍ Standing for Wat One ConfessesThe book Credo, by the German theolo-gian Karl Barth, is a collection of lecturespresented in 1935 discussing the Apostle’sCreed. On the dedication page of this bookare the following words:

1935!TO THE MINISTERSHANS ASMUSSEN,

HERMANN HESSE, KARL IMMER,MARTIN NIEMOLLER, HEINRICH

VOGEL

In memory of all whostoodstand

and will stand

Karl Barth was directing his dedication toministers standing against the rise of theNazi party in Germany. Even in 1935,Barth and others could foresee what wascoming on the horizon. Many pastors andlaity formed what was called theConfessing Church. These were thechurches who refused to go along withthe state churches which supported AdolfHitler. Many either found themselves inprison or were executed for their efforts.

Questions➤ Which of your convictions have led you

to take a stand?

➤ What have been some consequences ofyour confessions?

❍ Are You Following Jesus or Believingin Christ?

In his article, “Are You Following Jesus orBelieving in Christ?” Ernest T. Campbellbegs a significant question of allChristians:

Do you believe in Christ? It isn’t sohard to answer that. What is wanted isan affirmative response to treasuredpropositions about the second Personof the Trinity. But when someoneasks, “Are you following Jesus?” thiscan get to be expensive. This questionhas to [do] with my lifestyle, my atti-tudes, my values, my surrender....Areyou following Jesus, or believing inChrist? Unfair, you say; the two areinseparable. Theoretically, yes, butpragmatically, no. We separate themall the time. If we must err, let us erron the side of following. For one canbelieve without following, but one cannot (sic) follow without believing. (18-9)

Questions➤ What are your initial reactions to

Campbell’s quote?

➤ How can one believe without follow-ing?

10 Lesson 2


❍ Crossong the RubiconThe Learner’s Study Guide suggests thatChapter 11 is significant, because “itrepresents ‘the crossing of the Rubicon’for Jesus and his relationship with theJudean leaders.” Ask the class if they arefamiliar with the saying “crossing theRubicon.” If not, explain to them that it isa reference to Julius Caesar’s taking histroops into the city of Rome. An unspo-ken—but quite understood—rule warnedRoman armies against crossing theRubicon River. However, when JuliusCaesar crossed the Rubicon with histroops in 49 BC, it signified not only theonset of civil war, but also his takingcontrol of Rome. Therefore, the phrase“crossing the Rubicon” becomes a proverbimplying that once an action has takenplace, there is no going back.

Questions➤ Why is this episode between Jesus and

the Judean elites such an obviousturning point (see 11:45-53)?

➤ What experiences in your Christian lifehave been “crossing-the-Rubicon” situa-tions? How did you feel about others’treatment of you in these circum-stances?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Why were the disciples so concerned

about returning to Judea and the areaaround Jerusalem?

➤ Why did Jesus delay going to Bethanyto be with ill Lazarus?

➤ What was the common perceptionsurrounding resurrection in Jesus’ day?

➤ What inaccurate conclusions aboutJesus did the Judeans, disciples, andMartha draw in Chapter 11?

Questions for All Adults➤ What burial rituals offer hope for

resurrection?➤ What songs about personal resurrec-

tion can you either recall or find in ahymnal?

➤ Are there still signs today that inspirepeople to believe in Jesus?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ In what areas of your life have you

believed something before you sawresults?

➤ What are some of the most helpfulwords to offer those who have lost aloved one? What are the least helpful?

➤ How can we model true confessions offaith?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ Whom do you know that truly lives out

their confessions of faith? ➤ How might confessing Christ bring

about difficulties at work, at home, orin society?

➤ In what ways is death glorified more sothan life in popular culture? What life-affirming events have you been a partof?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ What kinds of questions do children

ask about death?➤ How do you instill in children a sense

of the importance of their words?➤ In what ways are you helping your chil-

dren make their own personalconfessions of faith?

Teaching Guide 11

12 Lesson 2


❍ Understanding SignsDivide your class into six groups. If only afew members are present, divide the classin half. Give each group a different signprinted in the following list.

• Changing water into wine (2:1-11)• Healing the nobleman’s son (4:46-54)• Healing the man crippled for 38 years

(5:1-18)• Feeding the multitude (6:1-14, 25-34)• Walking on water (6:15-24)• Healing the man born blind (ch. 9)

Ask each group to answer these threequestions:• Who witnessed the sign and what was

their response?• What was the result of the sign’s being

witnessed?• What does this sign tell us about Jesus?

After each group has read their assignedScripture and answered the questions,have the large group convene to discussany parallels that exist among the texts. Iftime and interest permit, explore how theseventh sign, described in chapter 11,compares and contrasts with the othersigns in John.

❍ Raising LazarusBefore beginning this activity, give every-one a pencil and paper. Then ask yourparticipants to imagine they are part ofthe mourning group helping Mary andMartha grieve on the day Jesus arrived atLazarus’s tomb. Tell them that they havebeen weeping and comforting the sisters.It is a hot day and the wind is kicking upthe dust. Many people are surroundingthe tomb, and Jesus has just asked themto help move the stone from the entrance.Have everyone reflect on and write abouthow they would react to this situation.

Once they have completed this part of theexercise, proceed with the scenario. Tellyour group that the stone has beenremoved and they are watching as Jesusbeckons, “Lazarus, come out!” To every-one’s amazement, Lazarus does indeedcome out! Jesus then tells them to unbindhim. Once again, have them note theirpotential reactions. Urge them to considerthe incident from all angles. How doesLazarus look after four days of entomb-ment? How does he feel to the touch?What are the onlookers doing?

Finally, have them continue imaginingthat Jesus asks them to join him fordinner, along with Mary, Martha, andLazarus ( Jn 12:1-8). They are seated nextto Lazarus. What is the one question theywant to ask him? What is his reply? Askthem to record their thoughts. After eachperson has jotted down some ideas, allowtime for the class members to share theirreflections.


❍ Easter ConfessionPrint and read the litany responsively as aclosing benediction.

Leader: What is our confession for thiscoming week?

All: That Jesus is the Messiah, the Son ofGod, the one coming into the world.

Leader: How then shall we live?

All: We shall live out this confession inour places of work, our homes, andthe streets of our city.

Leader: Go from this place empowered forthe week by the one who is theResurrection and Life.

3Find Relevance

Why do adults care about thissession? Sometimes we

believe we have Jesus all figuredout, who he is and what he is

about. This lesson stands as a warning toany with such presumptuous tendencies.In today’s text, Jesus entered the city ofJerusalem riding upon a donkey, and thecrowd—even Jesus’ own disciples—incor-rectly interpreted the event’s truepurpose. Like our ancestors, we oftencreate our own images of what Jesusshould or should not be. However, thislesson encourages us to seek the authenticportrait of Jesus and his ministry.Likewise, it also should induce a personalsensitivity to the actions and motives ofother Christians. One should not makehasty judgments based on false assump-tions, prejudice, or unrealisticexpectations.

This session also strikes the dissonantcultural chord of violence. We live in atime when the use of violence to achieve adesirable outcome is increasingly preva-lent. This session helps illustrate thatJesus did not use just any availablemethod to accomplish a goal. His lifeexemplifies that the only way we can trulyminister and do God’s will is to disavowviolence in actions and words.

Seeking UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? Today’s story describes

Jesus’ last journey intoJerusalem. According to John’s

Gospel, Jesus came to Jerusalem to cele-brate three Passovers (2:13-25; 6:1-4;12:12-19), the festival of Dedication(10:22-42), the festival of Booths (7:1-52),and another festival that is unnamed(5:1). John’s Gospel is the only one tohighlight so many of Jesus’ journeys intoJerusalem that he took for the purpose ofcelebration. It is clear that the authorwants to portray Jesus as a pious andobservant Judean.

A significant transitional chapter,chapter 12 represents the conclusion ofJesus’ public ministry. Beginning inchapter 2, Jesus is active among thepeople. However, from chapter 13 up tothe Crucifixion in chapter 19, he steadilywithdraws from the public arena, re-focusing his attention on his disciples inan attempt to prepare them for his glorifi-cation/Crucifixion.

As Jesus enters Jerusalem, the crowd’sreaction represents the militaristicelement surrounding the hoped-forMessiah. It is important to note, however,that there was no unified image of whatthe Messiah of Israel would be like.Scholar N. T. Wright summarizes,


THE WHOLE WORLD

HAS GONE AFTER HIMJohn 12:12-19

14 Lesson 3

“The royal and/or messianic move-ments of the time show considerablefreedom and flexibility....The idea ofIsrael’s coming king was one thatdifferent movements and differentclaimants could quite easily reshapearound themselves without anyonedenouncing them for not havingconformed to a commonly recognizedideal or portrait” (482).

ResourcesThomas Cahill, How the Irish Saved Civilization (NewYork: Doubleday, 1995).

Tony Campolo,“Which Jesus Do You Believe In?” U(April/May 1988): 20-3.

Sermon Illustrations.com, Adapted from an article in the6 Jan 1993 issue of Our Daily Bread <www. sermonillus-trations.com/identity.htm> (9 Sept 1999).

N.T.Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God (Minneapolis:Fortress Press, 1996).

My Teaching Plan

I. Jesus and the Crowds (12)A. After the raising of Lazarus, the

crowds anticipate a grand event whenthey learn Jesus is coming toJerusalem.

II. Crowd Responds in Deed and Words tothe Arrival of Jesus (13)

A. Deed: The crowds wave nationalisticsymbols as Jesus enters Jerusalem (13a).

B. Words: The crowds cry “Hosanna,”meaning, “save,” and sing a Messianicsong from Psalm 118 (13b).

III. Jesus’ Response to the Crowd by aProphetic Action (14-15)

A. Indicating his peaceable Kingdom,Jesus sits upon a humble donkeyinstead of riding a horse like aconquering king (12:14).

B. John quotes Zechariah 9:9 to illustratethe Kingdom Jesus is ushering in(12:15).

IV. Disciples’ Response (12:16)A. The disciples do not understand the

symbolism (12:16).

V. The Crowd’s ContinuedMisunderstanding (12:17-18)A. After the raising of Lazarus, the crowd

continues to “mis-testify” about Jesus’identity and role (12:17-18).

VI. The Response of the Pharisees (12:19)A. The Pharisees are concerned that all

the people are turning from them andtoward Jesus (12:19).

Offer IllustrationHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ HindsightSoren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), a Danishtheologian/philosopher, was always chal-lenging individuals to be authentic intheir practice of Christianity. He oncestated, “We live life forward, but onlyunderstand it in reverse.”

Questions➤ How is this statement accurate when

considering the disciples and crowdsaround Jesus?

➤ How is it accurate regarding our ownlife experiences?

➤ How have distance and time given youa different insight into your faith? Yourunderstanding of Jesus? Your under-standing of the Church?

❍ Mistaken IdentityThe renowned artist Paul Gustave Dore(1821-1883) lost his passport while travel-ing in Europe. When he came to a bordercrossing, he explained his predicament toone of the guards. In hopes of beingrecognized and hence allowed to pass,Dore gave the official his name. Theguard, however, replied that many peopleattempted to cross the border by claimingto be persons they were not. Dore insistedthat he was indeed the man he claimed tobe. “All right,” the official gave in, “we’llgive you a test, and if you pass it, we’llallow you to go through.” Handing Dore apencil and a sheet of paper, the guardinstructed the artist to sketch severalpeasants standing nearby. Dore did it soquickly and skillfully that the guard waseasily convinced. His work confirmed hisword (Sermon Illustrations.com, 9 Sept1999)!

Questions➤ Have you ever mistaken someone’s

identity? Describe what happened.

➤ In this illustration, the artist is recog-nized for his work, not his word. Howdoes this story parallel the disciple’srecognition of Jesus?

➤ How do you recognize Jesus?

Teaching Guide 15


❍ Creating Jesus in Our ImageTony Campolo, popular writer and profes-sor of sociology, writes,

Our society has taken Jesus and recre-ated him in our own cultural image.When I hear Jesus being proclaimedfrom the television stations across ourcountry, from pulpits hither and yon,he comes across not as the biblicalJesus, not as the Jesus described in theBible, but as a white, Anglo-Saxon,Protestant Republican.... A Jesus whoincarnates what we are, rather than aJesus who incarnates the God of eter-nity, is not the Jesus who can save. (21)

Questions➤ How have we created Jesus in our own

image? ➤ How might the concept of the “priest-

hood of the believer” have contributedto our creating Jesus in our image?

➤ How can we avoid molding Jesus intoour image, and instead, accept him ashe was and is?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Why were the Pharisees so concerned

about the attention being given toJesus’ ministry?

➤ Why could the disciples understand theimport and purpose behind Jesus’ entryinto Jerusalem only after theResurrection?

➤ This particular journey Jesus made intoJerusalem is sometimes called theTriumphant Entry. Is this an appropri-ate description? What other titles alsowould suffice?

Questions for All Adults➤ Is there a difference between popular

culture’s quest for spirituality and a

quest to know Jesus? Can you have onewithout the other?

➤ How have society and culture shapedour understanding of Jesus?

➤ If Jesus brings a peaceable Kingdom,what are the implications for how weuse power in the church, in the family,in the nation?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ Who has most influenced your image

of Jesus?➤ How has your perspective on Jesus and

faith changed over the years?➤ What seems to be the greatest

hindrance to people’s understanding ofJesus?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ What is the most substantial cultural

misunderstanding about Jesus today?➤ What motivates most contemporary

people to follow Jesus?➤ We are so far removed from the time of

Jesus. Can we ever really know what hewas like?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ How do you help your child compre-

hend Jesus’ identity?➤ What types of violence do you fear your

children may experience?➤ What aspect about Jesus is most diffi-

cult to teach children?

16 Lesson 3


❍ MisunderstandingsA common theme in literature, movies,and plays often revolves around a particu-lar character’s being wrongly identified,often leading to consequences bothcomedic and tragic. Have the class listexamples from movies or literatureinvolving this type of mistake. Have themconsider also biblical examples (forexample, Joseph and his brothers inGenesis 42, Jesus with his disciples on theEmmaus Road in Luke 24, etc.).

Questions➤ Have you ever been involved in an inci-

dent when someone’s identity wasaccidentally but totally misconstrued?Explain.

➤ How was the mistake finally discov-ered?

➤ How did you feel when the truth wasrevealed?

➤ Why was Jesus “mis”-identified by thecrowds?

❍ The Power of SymbolsIn Jesus’ day, riding into a city on a horsewith the crowds chanting Psalm 118 inthe background would have been a clearsymbol of military power and might.Jesus, however, chose to sit upon adonkey, symbolizing a peaceableKingdom. Ask the class to help you listsymbols that convey power and might inthe modern world. Then ask them tocreate a second list, this time notingsymbols for peace.

Questions➤ Is one symbol sometimes confused for

another? If so, why?

➤ Are any of the symbols mentionedincluded on both lists?

➤ Which of the symbols most clearlycommunicates peace and unity?


❍ I Arise TodayRemind the class that Jesus’ path to glori-fication was via Crucifixion. Consideringthat the great crowds were expecting aconquering rather than a sufferingmessiah, it must have been difficult forJesus to remain true to God’s purposes.Jesus was able to fulfill his missionbecause of both his assurance that he wasGod’s Son and the presence of God in hisjourney.

The following excerpt is from “SaintPatrick’s Breastplate,” an early prayerascribed to St. Patrick sometime duringthe seventh or eighth century. Read theprayer to your class, asking them to reflecton these words as they enter the newweek:

I arise todayThrough God’s strength to pilot me:God’s might to uphold me,God’s wisdom to guide me,God’s eye to look before me,God’s ear to hear me,God’s word to speak for me,God’s hand to guard me,God’s way to lie before me.... (Cahill,117-8)

Teaching Guide 17

Find RelevanceWhy do adults care about thissession? Hopelessness, failure,

grief, death, defeat, depres-sion—who among us has not

suffered at least several of these experi-ences? Coincidentally, just as I finishedwriting this sentence, the telephone rang.“David,” my colleague began, “one of ourformer seminary students has died in aconstruction accident.” It was shockingnews. This former student, a young manwith a wife and three children, had mani-fested a Christ-like spirit in all his efforts.In just a few days, he was to havepreached at a church in view of a call toserve as their pastor.

Wrapped in the intense emotion of adifficult experience, we—like MaryMagdalene—can become so blinded bylife’s unfairness that Jesus’ Resurrectionseems at best a fairy tale, and at worst ahollow joke. When our present pain is sooverwhelming, we find little comfort inwhat God has done in the past, no matterhow glorious. Does the Resurrection haveany hope to offer us in these times? Weknow not with our minds, but rather withour hearts, that the answer is “yes,” and insome mysterious way, the truth of theResurrection is what sustains us evenwhen all other circumstances plunge usinto despair.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? Mary of Magdala is the

first biblical person to offer anEaster confession. Because John’s

discussion of Mary is so sparse, most ofour information comes from the otherGospels. According to Luke, having beenexorcised of seven demons, Mary waseager to follow Jesus through cities andvillages as he proclaimed the Kingdom ofGod (Lk 8:2). Mark adds a little more toher character sketch by recording thatMary provided help when Jesus was inGalilee (Mk 15:40-41). She is oftenmisidentified as the woman sinner—a pros-titute—who anoints Jesus’ feet (Lk7:37-50).

Verse 17 of today’s passage is particu-larly difficult to comprehend. Althoughmost translations render it a statement, itis possible to translate it as a rhetoricalquestion. It will be helpful for your classmembers to know that no punctuationwas used in the original language of theNew Testament. All of the Greek letterswere condensed—no spaces betweenwords and no punctuation marks. In fact,the punctuation marks are later additionsbased upon translators’ suggestions as towhether given sentences were intended asstatements, questions, exclamations, orcommands.


I HAVE SEEN

THE LORDJohn 20:1-18

4

Teaching Guide 19

ResourcesRoberta C. Bondi, Memories of God:TheologicalReflections on a Life (Nashville TN: Abingdon, 1995).

R. M. Ogilvie, The Romans and Their Gods in the Age ofAugustus (New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1969).

My Teaching Plan

I. Mary, the Seeking One (20:1-2)A. Mary discovers the empty tomb (1).B. Mary informs Peter and the beloved

disciple that Jesus’ body is gone andshe does not know where it is (2).

II. Peter and the Other Disciple’s Discoveryof the Empty Tomb (3-10) A. Peter and the Other Disciple run to the

tomb and see the linen cloths (4-7).B. When the Other Disciple enters the

tomb, he believes the body has beentaken (8).

C. The disciples do not understand and,consequently, go home (9-10).

III. Mary’s Encounter with the Angel (11-13)

A. When an angel asks why she isweeping, Mary replies that she doesnot know where Jesus’ body is.

IV. Mary’s Encounter with Jesus (14-16)A. A person Mary assumes is the

gardener asks her why she is weeping.Again, she responds that she does notknow where Jesus’ body is. She has aspark of hope that the gardener canreveal where the body is so she canreclaim it (14-15).

B. Jesus calls Mary by name and identifieshimself as the one risen from the dead(16).

V. Jesus’ Commission to Mary (17)A. Jesus commissions Mary to tell that he

has ascended to God.

VI. Mary’s Encounter with the Disciples(18)

A. Mary testifies as Jesus instructed.

Offer IllustrationHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ Searching and FindingA man dreamed that a treasure lay buriedunder a bridge in another town. Naturallycurious, he felt compelled to find out ifthe dream held any truth, so he left hissmall village, journeyed to the town, andfound the bridge he had envisioned in hisdream. As he began to dig, he wasapproached by a police officer. The manrecounted his vivid dream about thebridge and the treasure. The officersmiled, claiming that he, too, had had adream about a buried treasure, only in hisdream the treasure was buried under-neath a stove.

The man returned, disappointed that hehad found no treasure, and took aglimpse at the stove, wondering. Wantingto leave no stone unturned, he lifted thetiles beneath the stove and began to dig.To his amazement, he discovered thetreasure from his dream.

We often search for something we believeis missing in our lives. And unfortunately,we often look in all the wrong places.Sometimes what we are searching for isright under our noses and we don’t evenknow it.

Questions➤ What motivates people toward initiat-

ing spiritual quests or journeys?

➤ How can our passions sometimesbecome the very obstacles that hinderour search?

➤ Who has mentored you in your spiri-tual quests and journeys?

❍ What’s in a Name?In the ancient world, pagans were verycareful to call their gods and goddesses bytheir proper names, because they believedthat they would not listen or respondotherwise. The following prayer exempli-fies the extremes they went to in order toensure that their prayers were heard: “Youare called Juno Lucina by women in childbirth, you are called at night Trivia, andLuna, whose light is not your own.”Sometimes ancients would add, “or bywhatever name you are called” (Ogilvie,26).

John’s portrait of Mary as one who doesnot know or recognize Jesus poses apoignant contradiction to other religionsin ancient culture. It is Jesus, the Christ,who knows Mary and calls her by name( Jn 20:16). John illustrates a personalconnection between God and humanitythat did not exist in pagan culture. Whilethe ancients called upon the names ofdistant, remote gods and goddesses, Godrecognizes Christians by name.

Questions➤ In what ways have you experienced God

as close and personal?

➤ In the hit TV sitcom Cheers, the estab-lishment of the same name is describedas a place “where everybody knowsyour name.” How can we make ourcommunities of faith institutions ofcloseness, places where we know every-body’s name?

20 Lesson 4


❍ The Power of the Resurrection In Memories of God, Roberta Bondi notesthat depression overwhelmed much of herlife. She recounts more specifically that allher doubts and despair converged onwhat should have been a happy day in herlife, her tenth wedding anniversary. Sheand her husband were married on anEaster weekend, and although their lifetogether had started well, she writes,

...I found myself pressed down by theweight not only of my failure as amother, but of all my failures, of myinability not only to have been themother I wanted to be, but the wife,daughter, friend, niece, historian andteacher....[t]he memory of all myunmet obligations, all the people Ihad hurt, all the suffering I haddone.... (168)

In her despair, she collapsed into a chairand utterly gave up. In that state ofcomplete hopelessness, she escaped—as domany depressed individuals—into sleep.She did not remember how long she slept,but when she awoke, she heard herselfrepeating, “The joy of the Resurrectionrenews the whole world.” Over and over,the words came tumbling out of hermouth. In that moment, the Resurrectionstory once again became a story of trans-formation. She saw everything differently.Her family, her life, her struggles—all werebathed in the light of Easter.

Bondi concludes, “That Easter weekendthe God beauty of my childhood...liftedme from the grave and brought my forty-five year depression to an end” (174).

Questions➤ What is it about the Resurrection that

can change a person’s life? ➤ How has the story of the Resurrection

directed your life and thoughts?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Why do you think the Other Disciple

hesitated and allowed Peter to enter thetomb first?

➤ What is the significance of Jesus’command in verse 17 not to touch him?

➤ What is the implication behind Jesus’commission to Mary to tell others thathe is ascending? What does Ascensionimply?

Questions for All Adults➤ What is one of your most memorable

Easter experiences?➤ Do we place as much emphasis on

Easter as we do Christmas? Explain.➤ How has the good news of the

Resurrection helped you through diffi-cult times?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ In what ways is the Easter message

spread most effectively?➤ Mary’s weeping turned into great joy

when she recognized Jesus. Have youexperienced the movement fromdespair to joy? If so, describe the situa-tion.

➤ In what ways do funeral services rein-force resurrection themes?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ What does the current search for spiri-

tuality indicate about our society?➤ Does the good news of the

Resurrection affect your everyday life? ➤ How might the theme of resurrection

be more central in our worship?Questions for Adults with Children➤ How can we help children work

through grief?➤ How can we describe resurrection in a

way that children will understand it asmore than a body’s coming back fromthe dead?

➤ Besides Mary Magdalene, who are somepositive female role models from theBible for children to emulate?

Teaching Guide 21

22 Lesson 4


❍ Supporting Women Ministers ofthe Gospel

In the ancient world, cultural biashindered a woman’s credibility in sharingthe gospel. However, the story of MaryMagdalene’s commission reaffirms theimportant role of women as apostles ofthe gospel. In fact, Mary’s message is thefirst proclamation of the good newsrecorded in Scripture.

Unfortunately, many women today stillface cultural obstacles that hinder theircapacity to live out their call to minister.Ask your group, “What do you think arethe biggest obstacles for women inministry today?”

Ask your group to brainstorm ways inwhich the class can serve as advocates forwomen ministers in your church.

❍ Events of Lasting ImpactOne way to emphasize the importance ofthe Resurrection in the life of a believer isto consider it in relationship to otherhistorical events. Considering ourapproaching move into a new millen-nium, ask your class to list the mostimportant historical events orcreations/inventions of the last one thou-sand years. Note the responses on achalkboard or markerboard. When the listis completed, ask the following questions.

Questions➤ Why are these particular events or

creations significant?

➤ How does our culture determinewhether an event or invention is ofparamount importance?

➤ Which of the items listed might notseem that important a hundred yearsfrom now?


❍ The Joy of the ResurrectionGive a hymnal to each class member andask them to find hymns related to theResurrection. Ask volunteers to share anyverses they find that are particularlymeaningful to them and why. After severalpeople have shared, ask what these verseshave in common.

End the class with a progressive litany.Ask one person to begin the litany bysaying, “The joy of the Resurrectionrenews the whole world.” The next personthen joins the first, repeating the phrase.Continue as class members join in one byone, repeating the phrase until everyonesays in unison, “The joy of theResurrection renews the whole world.” Ifyour class is very large, you can divide intosmall groups and bring about the sameeffect.

Find RelevanceWhy do adults care about thissession? According to

Benjamin Jowett, “Doubt comesin at the window when inquiry is

denied at the door” (117). Oftentimes wetry to deny any doubts and questions wehave about our faith. We may have beentaught that courting difficult questions isan indication that our faith is somehowlacking. This session, however, affirmsthat Jesus deals honestly and openly withour doubt. He approaches, leads, andteaches us wherever we are along thejourney of faith. The questions anddoubts that life brings into our faithpilgrimage are okay, and in fact, can actu-ally lead us to a stronger faith.

This session is a helpful reminder thatpeople are unique and that faith growsand develops differently for each of us.The story of Thomas’s doubts affirmsthat God created us as individuals andallows each of us to come to faith as weare able.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? This story of Thomas

is the climax of John’s Gospel.The writer cleverly builds

suspense around whether Thomas willcontinue on the pilgrimage of faith. Notefor example that Thomas is introduced as“one of the Twelve” (20:24), a descriptionused of only one other disciple—Judas.With this phrase, John introduces thepossibility that Thomas could follow inJudas’s footsteps and desert Jesus.

Note the approaches Jesus uses tohelp Thomas overcome his disbelief.Verse 26 indicates that Jesus camethrough closed doors—evidence of hisascended nature. Point by point, Jesussupplies each of the rationalistic proofsThomas demands. Thomas wants to puthis finger in the marks of the nail (25),and Jesus gives him the opportunity to dojust that (27). Thomas wants to put hishand in Jesus’ side (25), and Jesusinstructs him to do so (27). And whileThomas emphasizes that he will notbelieve otherwise (25), Jesus encourages,“Do not doubt but believe” (27).


MY LORD AND

MY GODJohn 20:19-31

5

24 Lesson 5

ResourcesC. S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy:The Shape of My Early Life(New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1956).

Frank S. Mead, ed.,“Doubt,” The Encyclopedia ofReligious Quotations (Westwood NJ: Fleming H. Revell,1964).

My Teaching Plan

I. The Appearance of the Risen Lord (20:19-23)A. Jesus appears to fearful disciples gath-

ered together behind locked doors(19).

B. Jesus commissions the disciples (20-23).1. Jesus indicates that he will be

sending the disciples forward inmission (21).

2. Jesus breathes on the disciples, andthey receive the Holy Spirit (22).

3. Jesus instructs them to forgive sins(23).

II. The Absence of Thomas and HisChallenge to the Disciples (20:24-25)A. The disciples witness to Thomas, who

was absent when Jesus first appearedto them (24).

B. Thomas demands tangible proof ofJesus’ Resurrection.1. He wants to place his fingers in the

nail marks of Jesus’ hands (25a).2. He wants to place his hand in Jesus’

side (25b).

III. The Encounter (20:26-29)A. Jesus greets Thomas and the others

(26).B. Jesus challenges Thomas to fulfill the

requirements he set for belief (27).C. Thomas makes the highest of Easter

confessions: “My Lord and my God”(28)!

D. Jesus challenges Thomas and allreaders of the Gospel, saying thatthose who can believe without seeingare truly blessed (29).

IV. The Purposes for the Gospel of John(20:30-31)A. The purposes are both to encourage

believers to keep believing and toarouse faith in those who never havebelieved.


❍ “We’ve Been to the Moon?”July 20, 1999, marked the thirtiethanniversary of the landing on the moon.The whole week was replete withcommemorative events, special talkshows, and movies. On one radio broad-cast, a guest from NASA recalled that inthe early days of space exploration, manypeople doubted, despite the recordedevidence offered by the media, whetherastronauts actually traveled to and landedon the moon. He recalled unbelievers’insistence that the scenes supposedlytransmitted from the moon were actuallytaken from a large studio stage. The so-called moon rocks, the doubters claimed,surely were gathered right here on earth.The NASA official went on to commenton how difficult it is to convince peoplethat mere humans have actually walkedon the moon they see each night.

Questions➤ Do you know anyone who still doubts

the moon landings? Explain.

➤ In the past, people doubted what theycould not see. Today, on the otherhand, many people doubt even whatthey do see. What contributes to ourcurrent rampant skepticism?

➤ What things do you believe in evenwithout seeing?

➤ Do you have to experience somethingpersonally before you can put yourfaith in it?

❍ In the Midst of DoubtOn November 22, 1873, while HoratioSpafford stayed in Chicago to finish somebusiness, the ship Ville du Harve steamedacross the Atlantic Ocean from Americato France carrying his wife and fourdaughters. In the dark of the night, theVille du Harve struck another ship, andwithin twelve minutes, it sank to thebottom of the sea. A cable messageinformed Horatio Spafford that his wifehad been rescued from the sinking ship,but his four daughters were lost. Heimmediately set sail for Paris to join hiswife. On the journey across the Atlantic,the ship’s captain indicated to Mr.Spafford the approximate location of thesinking. After viewing the silent sea, hewent to his room and penned the wordsto the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul.” Hishymn has helped many individualsthrough difficult times.

Questions➤ What experiences usually bring about

crises of faith?

➤ What or who has helped you the mostduring times when you have ques-tioned your faith?

Teaching Guide 25


❍ Different Faith for Different FolksFaith arises and develops differently inthe lives of each individual. Ruth Graham,wife of evangelist Billy Graham, remem-bers having always been a Christian. Herparents were missionaries in China, andher faith developed within the context ofa missionary family committed to sharingthe gospel. For her, faith emerged natu-rally as a part of growing up. On the otherhand, C. S. Lewis’s pilgrimage to faith wasmuch different. His conversion fromnominal Christianity to atheism, andfinally to authentic Christianity is chroni-cled in his autobiography, Surprised by Joy:The Shape of My Early Life. At the end of hisbook, he recounts,

You must picture me alone in thatroom in Magdalen, night after night,feeling, whenever my mind lifted evenfor a second from my work, the steady,unrelenting approach of Him whom Iso earnestly desired not to meet. Thatwhich I greatly feared had at last comeupon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929I gave in, and admitted that God wasGod, and knelt and prayed; perhaps,that night, the most dejected andreluctant convert in all England. (228-9)

Questions➤ Looking back on your faith journey,

where has the road taken you? Howhave you arrived at the place you aretoday?

➤ We have affirmed that the journey tofaith is an individual one, yet it is notwithout parameters. How do we discernthese parameters?

➤ Can we discern faith parameters forother people?

➤ How can we encourage the individualfaith experience?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Jesus instructed Thomas to touch his

hands and side. Does Scripture indicatethat Thomas obeyed? Do you think heactually touched Jesus or believedwithout touching him?

➤ Jesus indicates that the disciples are toreceive the Holy Spirit (22). How doesthis event relate to the Pentecost experi-ence detailed in Acts 2?

➤ Why is it significant that Jesus commis-sioned the disciples to deal withforgiveness of sins rather than to testifyabout his Resurrection?

Questions for All Adults➤ What doubts have you encountered

along your faith pilgrimage?➤ What are the most common doubts of

faith?➤ Is it ever inappropriate to test or ques-

tion God? Explain.Questions for Mature Adults➤ How has your church demonstrated a

ministry of forgiveness? How have youdone so?

➤ How has your faith changed over theyears?

➤ How have you helped others deal withdoubt concerning their faith?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ To whom do you go when you have

serious questions or doubts about yourfaith?

➤ What nurtures our doubts in modernculture?

➤ Is cynicism a by-product of doubt?What should be the by-product ofbelief?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ In what ways do children demonstrate

the ability to believe without seeing?➤ How have your children helped the

development and emergence of yourfaith?

➤ What questions do children frequentlyraise about God?

26 Lesson 5


❍ Growing Faith in Different WaysAsk your group to form four or five smallgroups to discuss the faith experiences ofMary and Thomas. Ask them to use thequestions below to compare and contrastMary and Thomas’s faith development.

Questions➤ How are Thomas and Mary’s faith

journeys similar?

➤ In what ways do their paths of growthdiffer?

➤ Is one approach better than the other?

➤ How does Jesus respond to these twoindividuals?

❍ A Questioning FaithAs mentioned in the Learner’s StudyGuide for this session, the state ofMissouri’s slogan is “Show-Me.” Thismotto reflects a philosophy many of ushave incorporated into our daily living.Ask your class to make a list of “proofs”that we generally expect before placingour trust in an institution, product, orperson. List the group’s responses on amarker board or newsprint. For example,investment companies “prove” theirsuccess by broadcasting their returns overthe last three, five, and ten years.

After you have compiled a list, ask thegroup if they would trust an institution,product, or person that came with noguarantees or references. For example, ifan investment company said, “We have norecords to show you, but if you put yourmoney into our fund, you will makemoney,” how many people would riskplacing their confidence in the venture?

Questions➤ Did the completed list turn out as

expected? Is it longer or shorter thananticipated?

➤ Why is it essential that we have proofbefore we can believe?

➤ How often are we manipulated by the“proofs” we are given?

➤ Does our contemporary culture requiremore or less proof than was the case 40-50 years ago?

➤ In what ways is our current cultureeither more or less willing to “believewithout seeing”?


❍ Believing without SeeingAs you bring this session to a close, offerthese words of Jesus as a blessing:“Blessed are those who have not seen andyet have come to believe.” Remind yourclass that they never could have believedin the first place unless someone had toldthem about Jesus. Encourage them toreflect thankfully upon the person orpersons who shared Christ with them,and then challenge them to bless anotherperson this week by sharing with them thegood news of Jesus’ Resurrection.

Teaching Guide 27

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