THE JESUS SERIES Nine Lessons from Jesus
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THE JESUS SERIES Nine lessons from Jesus created by Tyler Ellis / Mike Filicicchia / Brett Ricley / Glen Davis / Jim Whaley / Justin Wallace / Chris Bean / Brandon Smith The Jesus series Nine lessons from Jesus Created by // Tyler Ellis, Mike Filicicchia, Brett Ricley, Glen Davis, Jim Whaley, Justin Wallace, Chris Bean, and Brandon Smith Contents Lesson 1: The parable of the sower . 1 Lesson 2: The parable of the prodigal son & older brother . 4 Lesson 3: The parable of the pharisee & the tax collector . 7 Lesson 4: Jesus & Nicodemus . 10 Lesson 5: The parable of the rich fool . 13 Lesson 6: The cost of being a disciple . 16 Lesson 7: Jesus & the Samaritan woman . 19 Lesson 8: Many disciples turn away from Jesus . 22 Lesson 9: The cut off principle . 25 The Jesus series: Lesson 1 The parable of the sower Read the following scripture passages: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15. Take notes on what each of the three parable accounts have to say. Under each type of ground and heart section, write what happens to the seed (word) that is planted (spoken) to them. Also, write down the reasons why these things happened. The Hard Heart The Shallow Heart The Strangled Heart The Open Heart Why did Jesus teach this parable? CMT is a ministry of the Center for Mission Mobilization. campusministry.org // mobilization.org 1 Experiments in digging deeper Lesson 1 (cont.) Questions to Discuss & Journal 1. What do you notice about the way the farmer tosses the seed? 13. As you think about the role of the farmer, name two people you Why isn’t he more selective about where the seeds land? know who need to hear the message of the kingdom . 2. What troubles, persecution, or worries have you experienced in 14. What type of heart do you think they have? How can you reach life? What did you learn about yourself? out to them this week? 3. How have you struggled with the deceitfulness of wealth? What did you learn about yourself? 4. As you think about what’s been happening in your life and in your heart, which of these four kinds of ground do you think describes you right now? 5. Why would Satan want us to believe he doesn’t exist or doesn’t pose a threat? 6. How have you seen yourself or others get really busy just when spiritual progress is being made? Do you think it’s by Places to Visit People to Interview coincidence or by design? How does this make you feel? • A farm • A farmer 7. What is your response when you don’t understand something • A garden • A gardener in the Bible? • A greenhouse • Someone who fell away 8. Is there anything holding you back from welcoming truth into • A long-time believer your life and being willing to go wherever truth takes you? If so, what is it? Projects to Do 9. What does it mean to produce fruit? Topics to Research 10. What are some steps you can take to continue making spiritual • Write a poem progress? • Write a song • How to become a Christian 11. If you were to pray a prayer of confession in light of this • Write/perform a skit • How to grow spiritually parable, what would you confess, and how can the rest of us • Arrange/perform an • Satan pray for you? interpretive dance • The persecuted church 12. What principles can we gather from this parable that apply to • Make a collage • How to share your faith sharing our faith? • Paint a picture CMT is a ministry of the Center for Mission Mobilization. campusministry.org // mobilization.org 2 Experiments in digging deeper Lesson 1 (cont.) Scriptures to Read Books to Read Songs to Listen to • Joshua 22:5 • Hell’s Best Kept Secret • “Lord, You Have My Heart” (Delirious) • Psalm 1 (Ray Comfort) • “Blessed Are You” (Cheryl Bear) • Ezekiel 36:25-27 • Lord Foulgrin’s Letters • “Break Our Hearts” (Passion Worship Band) • Matthew 7:21-23 (Randy Alcorn) • “Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord” (Sonic Flood) • Matthew 7:24-29 • Radical (David Platt) • “I Give You My Heart” (Michael W . Smith) • 2 Corinthians 13:5 • The Christian Atheist • “Just As I Am” (Andrew Peterson) • 1 Timothy 2:4 (Craig Groeschel) • “Lamp” (Charlie Hall) • 1 Timothy 6:8-10 • Crazy Love (Francis Chan) • “Only Truth” (Acappella) • Hebrews 3:7-11 • Pilgrim’s Progress • “Red Letters” (DC Talk) • Hebrews 10:32-39 (John Bunyan) • “Let You In” (Kutless) • James 1:2-5 • Redeeming Love • “Longing Heart” (Jeremy Camp) • James 1:21-25 (Francine Rivers) • “Psalm 1” (Marty Goetz) • 1 Peter 5:8 • Jake’s Choice • “All the Pretty Things” (Tenth Avenue North) • 2 Peter 3:9 (Jim & Rachel Britts) • Scouting the Divine We made a Spotify playlist with these songs just for you: (Margaret Feinberg) campusministry.org/jesusseriesplaylist Movies to Watch • A Long Obedience in the Same Direction • Matthew Visual Bible (Eugene Peterson) • Blue Like Jazz • Shaped By the Word • To Save A Life (Robert Mulholland) CMT is a ministry of the Center for Mission Mobilization. campusministry.org // mobilization.org 3 The Jesus series: Lesson 2 The parable of the prodigal son & older brother Read the following scripture passages: Luke 15:1-2,11-32. As you read, take notes on what Jesus says about the younger brother, the father, and the older brother. What did each individual do? Why did they do it? There is also space below provided to record some applications of Jesus’ parable. The Younger Brother The Father The Older Brother What did Jesus say about him? What did Jesus say about him? What did Jesus say about him? What lessons apply to our lives? What lessons apply to our lives? What lessons apply to our lives? CMT is a ministry of the Center for Mission Mobilization. campusministry.org // mobilization.org 4 Experiments in digging deeper Lesson 2 (cont.) Questions to Discuss & Journal Icebreaker questions Application Questions 1. Have your parents told you what you are to inherit? If so, 1. What is one thing you could do that would say ‘Thank You’ what is it? If not, what do you hope to inherit? to your parents for all they do? 2. What’s the nastiest thing you’ve ever eaten? 2. What blessings has God given you that you may be wasting? 3. Have you ever begun something fun that ended in disaster? 3. Are you sitting in pig slop right now? What are you waiting for? 4. What’s the most extravagant celebration you’ve attended? 4. In what ways do you need to “come to your senses” like the son in v 17?. Observation questions 5. If you were to pray a prayer of confession in light of this 1. “Some people have to hit rock bottom before they will .” parable, what would you confess, and how can the rest of us 2. How was the older brother representative of the Pharisees? pray for you? 3. How are the father’s responses to his two sons similar? 6. How might the Father be pleading with you right now? 4. What does this parable teach us about our Heavenly Father? 7. Name two people you know who need to hear the message of God’s grace . Which of the two sons do they resemble? Reflection questions How can you reach out to them this week? 8. As you look over the handout with ideas for going deeper, 1. What does the fact that sinners came to hear him and eat with what experiment stands out as something you might try? him say about Jesus? 2. What might be wrong if all non-Christians like you? What might be wrong if all non-Christians dislike you? 3. What did the father mean when he said on two occasions (v . 24, 32) that his younger son was “dead”? People to Interview Places to Visit 4. In what ways can you relate to the younger son? 5. In what ways can you relate to the older son? • Someone who was restored • A pig pen 6. Have you ever been in the father’s shoes (in a position to to God • Somewhere homeless receive someone who has walked away from you, betrayed you, • A parent who plays the role people live or deceived you)? If so, how did you respond? of the “father” CMT is a ministry of the Center for Mission Mobilization. campusministry.org // mobilization.org 5 Experiments in digging deeper Lesson 2 (cont.) Projects to Do Scriptures to Read Books to Read • Send a “Thank You” note • Psalm 51 • What’s So Amazing About Grace? (Philip Yancey) • Write a poem • Ecclesiastes • Messy Spirituality (Mike Yaconelli) • Write a song • Matthew 9:9-13 • The Return of the Prodigal Son (Henri J .M . Nouwen) • Write/perform a skit • Luke 9:25 • The Prodigal Son (John MacArthur) • Arrange/perform an • Luke 15:1-10 • The Principle of the Path (Andy Stanley) interpretive dance • Luke 18:9-14 • The Grace of God (Andy Stanley) • Make a collage • John 3:16 • Too Christian, Too Pagan (Dick Staub) • Paint a picture • Romans 5 • Adventures In Churchland (Dan Kimball) • Talk to a minister about • Romans 8:1 • Amazing Grace (Eric Metaxes) doing an investigative • 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 • Sidney & Norman: A Tale of Two Pigs (Phil Vischer) faith study • 1 Timothy 1:12-17 • Prodigal God (Tim Keller) • Ephesians 2:7-9 • I Am Not but I Know I AM (Louie Giglio) • 1 John 1:7-9 Topics to Research Songs to Listen to • Homelessness Movies to Watch • The Amish and the • “Please Come Home” (Dustin Kensrue) Rumspringah tradition • Turning Back • “Prodigal” (Gungor) • A famous Christian who • Blue Like Jazz • “Prodigal” (Pas Neos) returned to God • Devil’s Play-ground • “When God Ran” (Phillips, Craig, and Dean) • The items of clothing the • The Prodigal Son • “Lose My Soul” (Toby Mac) father used to reinstate the (Big Book Media) • “What Do You Think” (Acappella) younger son • The Lion King • “Forgiveness” (Toby Mac) • Solomon and the Book of • Taken • “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” (Jars of Clay) Ecclesiastes • The prophet Hosea and the We made a Spotify playlist with these songs just for you: people of Israel campusministry.org/jesusseriesplaylist CMT is a ministry of the Center for Mission Mobilization.