UNIT 2 - The King Arrives 2022

UNIT 2:
THE KING ARRIVES
THE KING IS BORN

As we enter the story of Jesus' life, we will keep at the forefront the idea that Jesus came to bring God's
kingdom to Earth. He was the long-awaited Messiah, the King from David's line. We begin the story of Jesus
with his birth.
Can you recall any movies in which a new prince or princess is born?
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Why was the birth of a future king or queen such a big deal?
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The movie Sleeping Beauty opens by showing how a long-awaited royal birth was celebrated.
Born to Be King
List the characteristics of a traditional royal birth in column 1 as you consider the birth of Princess Aurora.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SXMwbwl5DHE&list=PLIsY_y76WOL5qQJI_W6Pfeo7t41ZzzbID&index=2
A Traditional Royal Birth A Humble Birth

What usually marks the birth of royalty? In what ways was Jesus' birth humble, unlike a
king's?
HEAD
Nevertheless, a True King!

Many would not have believed that Jesus-born in such a lowly condition-could truly be a king. But Luke records
many signs pointing to Jesus' kingship. Read Luke 1:26-56 and Luke 2:1-20 more closely, listing every piece of
evidence Luke gives that Jesus is a royal figure: the long-awaited son of King David. Include the verse where
you found it. You should be able to find 4-5 verses with royal language.
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Looking back to Luke 1-2, what aspects of Jesus' birth were glorious and miraculous?
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What does Simeon say that this young king, Jesus, will one day do? Explain your answer.
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The King is Born
The Gospel of Luke offers the most, detailed account of the beginning or Jesus’ story. Luke explains the
miraculous events of Jesus' birth, first setting the historical context Caesar Augustus ruled the Roman Empire,
Herod acted as Judah's local ruler. Since the close of the Old Testament the Jews had been living in a period of
silence God had not spoken through prophets or angels for hundreds of years.
Yet something was stirring! Mysterious angelic visitors began to visit ordinary Jews and tell them of
momentous; events on the horizon. The elderly priest Zechariah received a glimpse Of coming glory when the
angel Gabriel gave him the news that he and his barren wife would have a special son.
Gabriel quoted from the closing verses of the Old Testament to explain the role John: he would be the promised
prophet like Elijah whom God would send to prepare people's hearts "before that great and dreadful day of the
Lord comes (Malachi 4 5-6). When the Old Testament prophets spoke of the "day of the Lord " they meant a
future time of redemption for Israel and judgement on God’s enemies. All things would finally be put right on
the day of the Lord! And this redemption would come through a messiah or an anointed one. The Old Testament
had different anointed offices, such as prophets and priests, but by the time of Jesus, messiah primarily meant
“anointed king”. It was clear from the prophets that first and foremost the messiah would be a king from the line
of David.
Unfortunately, Zechariah initially doubted the angel's message. But later, when people asked, "What is this child
going to be?" Zechariah was able to explain that this child would be a prophet preparing the way for the Lord
(Luke 1:76). He prophesied that God was finally coming to redeem Israel by raising up "a horn of salvation for
us in the house of his servant David" (v. 68- 69). The promised king would soon appear.
Immediately following this prophecy, Luke tells us about an unexpected twist that forced Joseph and Mary to
travel to Bethlehem just before Jesus ' birth. The Roman census required Joseph to travel to the town of his
ancestry, which happened to be Bethlehem, the town where King David had been born. It is only fitting that
Jesus, King David's long-expected heir, should also make his entry in Israel's royal birthplace.
God was making the message clear: Jesus is the anointed King of Israel, come to save his people. Yet . . . how
could this poor baby be the long-awaited king? The conditions of his birth were anything but royal. He was not
born in Herod's palace, or announced by heralds, or attended by servants. Instead, he was born in the worst of
conditions to parents who were temporarily homeless. Mary and Joseph had to use an animal's feeding trough as
his cradle. They could present only a poor family's offering when they brought Jesus to the temple for his
dedication.
Nevertheless, Jesus' birth was miraculous and glorious enough to show that he was no ordinary peasant. From
the angel's announcements to Mary and Joseph, to the host of angels who appeared to shepherds, God was
beginning to reveal his Son's glory. The angels spoke in no uncertain terms, saying: "The Lord God will give
[Jesus] the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will
never end" (Luke1:32- 33). This Jesus was the promised King, the Messiah (Luke 2:11).
How amazing that the King of all kings would humble himself-not only by giving up the glories of heaven, but
even by renouncing the comforts of this world. Rather than enjoying kingly riches and power, Jesus identified
with the vulnerable and down-and-out of this world. What a different sort of king he is-a king so humble he
would take on all the world 's suffering and woe, yet so powerful that he would defeat it once and for all.
Reflection Questions
Both Mary's and Zechariah's songs of praise (Luke 1) speak of God helping Israel and remembering his
promises to them through this coming baby, Jesus. In what way does Jesus relate to Abraham's descendants, the
people of Israel? How was he going to help them?
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Simeon's song of praise (Luke 2:29-32) quotes from Isaiah 49:6. What did Isaiah promise? How does Jesus
relate to this promise?
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Instead of beginning with Jesus' birth, the Book of Matthew begins with Jesus' genealogy. To which two special
people does Matthew link Jesus, and why do you think that is? Why was Jesus' lineage from these two
individuals important? (See Matthew 1:17 for help.)
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HEART
Since Christmas is a popular holiday, many non-Christians know about Jesus' birth and may even have a manger
scene on display. How do you think many people view Jesus' birth? What important aspects do they miss?
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Philippians 2:6-7 tells us that for Jesus to become a human was an act of great humility-of lowering him self.
"Being in very nature God, [he] did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself
nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." What glorious things did Jesus give
up to enter human history? And what difficulties did he have to endure?
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HANDS
When you consider all that Jesus gave up and endured-willingly, for our sake-how should that
impact your thinking, feeling, and living?
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Philippians 2:5 tells us that followers of Jesus should have the same attitude of humility that Jesus demonstrated.
Philippians 2:3-4 tells us, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others
above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." What are
some practical ways you could begin to apply that this week?
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Music.
 Brainstorm a list of Christmas carols and hymns that emphasize Jesus’ humility and others that refer to
his kingship. Or consider printing off the text of "Once in Royal David’s City" or 'Thou Who Was
Rich Beyond All Splendor" and having them ponder the text of these carols.
Research
 Complete the activity above by researching Christmas carols and hymns online.
Writing
 Blog or create a short narrative about how your ancestry has influenced you.
Preparation for next week: Read Matthew 3- 4:11 in preparation for

next lesson
• What does this passage say?

• What did the passage mean to its original audience?
• What does this tell us about God?
• What does it tell us about man?
• What does this passage demand of me?
• How does this passage change the way I relate to people?
• How does the passage prompt me to pray?
Jesus Relives Israel’s Story
Explain the difference between these statements. “Jesus came to fulfill certain prophecies written in the Old
Testament” AND “Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament.” Which one is the bigger claim? Why?
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The second claim is the bigger one, because it means that Jesus did not just fulfill , for example, 200 Old
Testament predictions about the messiah, but he fulfills everything in the Old Testament story (the roles of
prophets, priests, kings, sacrifices , laws, symbols, festivals -all of the holy people, the holy place, and kingdom
themes).
HEAD
Today, we 'll explore this idea of Jesus fulfilling the whole Old Testament as we study his baptism
and wilderness temptation- the two major events that came before the start of his public ministry.
Read Matthew 3:1-12.
What did John's baptism symbolize, from verses 6 and 11?
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Why was it so surprising, then, that Jesus came to be baptized?
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What reason did Jesus give for being baptized?
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What do you make of that? What does it mean to 'fulfill all righteousness '?
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Jesus didn't need to be baptized for himself; he did it to identify himself with his people and to fulfill all the
righteous acts that we need to do.
Jesus: The True Israel
To complete God's plan of redemption begun in the Old Testament, Jesus needed to "fulfill all righteousness"-
to bring to completion and perfection all that Israel should have done. Read aloud the passages and listen for
parallel language used for Israel and Jesus. How is Jesus shown to be the true Israel?
Jesus’ Baptism
Scripture Israel Scripture Jesus
Hosea
11:1 (also Matthew
A Similarity Exodus 3:17
4:22)
Hosea
11:2-4 Matthew
A Difference 3:17
Jesus’ Temptation
Read the passages in both columns. Underline any words or ideas that are similar between the two columns.
High light quotations that are similar.
Israel in the Wilderness Jesus in the Wilderness
Similarities between Israel and Jesus

Were Jesus' experiences (in the right-hand column) an echo of what Israel had gone through? If so, list what the
similarity was, as well as the biblical reference.
Reference Israel Reference Israel
Matthew 4:1-2 Forty days in the desert.
The Spirit led him

Matthew 4:1
there.
Matthew 4:1 He was tempted or

tested.
He became hungry after

Matthew 4:2
fasting 40 days.
Tempted regarding
Matthew 4:3-4
food/bread.
Tempted in the area of

Matthew 4:5-7
testing God.
Tempted in the area of

Matthew 4:8-10
worship.
Different Outcomes
Jesus responded to his wilderness testing far differently from Israel. Consider the many ways that Israel fell
short and failed, while Jesus- undergoing even worse testing- proved to be righteous. Use the prompts to jog
your memory, helping you consider the differences between their wilderness experiences.
Prompt Israel Jesus
Miraculous Bread
"Man does not live on

bread alone"
Testing God
How do you think God

and Satan viewed the
overall wilderness
experience?
HEART
Whose "wilderness testing" do you think was harder: Israel's or Jesus'? Give evidence for your
position.
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Does it help you to know that Jesus went through the same temptations and struggles as you (and even harder
ones)?
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Why does it matter that Jesus not only died for us but also lived a perfect life-a life that fulfilled all
righteousness?
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HANDS
Jesus answered each temptation with Scripture. He not only knew God's Word but embraced it
and aligned himself with God's will. What about you?
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In what areas do you tend to listen to the world's temptations instead of God's Word?
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How could you better combat these temptations with the truth?
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Reading: Jesus Relives Israel’s Story
The Gospel of Matthew tells of the events leading up to the start of Jesus' public ministry. Matthew
explains that two important events preceded the start of Jesus ' preaching: his baptism and his temptation in
the wilderness.
John the Baptist began preparing the people of Judea for Jesus ' ministry, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven has come near" (3:2). He preached that judgment was coming to all who did not repent, even
calling out the spiritual leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) for their lack of true faith and true repentance.
He offered a baptism symbolizing confession of sin and repentance (3:6, 11).
We understand, then, why John was so surprised that Jesus came to be baptized. Jesus had never sinned, so
why would he need to be cleansed with water? Yet Jesus gave this reason for desiring baptism: "It is
proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness" (3:15). We notice this language of "fulfilling " many
other times in Matthew. For instance, Mat thew says that Jesus left Nazareth and went to live in
Capernaum "to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah" (4:14). Jesus obviously knew the Old
Testament Scriptures and was sent to fulfill them.
In the opening chapters Matthew speaks five times of Jesus fulfilling the Old Testament prophets. But this
is not the sort of "fulfilling of prophecy " we might think of. The prophets Matthew quoted were usually
not making a prediction about a future messiah. Instead, they were explaining events in Israel's his tory:
how God had called Israel his son, how he had rescued Israel from Egypt, how Israel's mothers had
watched their children carried away or killed in the exile, etc.
Now Matthew quotes the Old Testament prophets to show that Jesus is fulfilling these events in a much
greater way. Just as Israel was called God's son, so Jesus is uniquely and eternally God's Son (Matthew
3:17). But whereas Israel was a sinful and rebellious son, Jesus is the righteous and ultimate Son. Matthew
shows Jesus reliving Israel's story but doing so perfectly, to fulfill all the righteousness they had failed to
achieve... Jesus, just like Israel, was called out of Egypt (Matthew 2:15). He, too, lived through a time of
Israel's mothers weeping (Matthew 2:17). And he, like Israel, was tested in the wilderness-his 40 days in
the desert were reminiscent of their 40 years. That generation of Israelites failed their wilderness test by
rebelling against the Lord. Jesus with stood far greater testing, yet he emerged from it completely
righteous. He was fulfilling all that Israel should have done the first time around!
Jesus does not just fulfill, for example, 200 Old Testament predictions about the messiah, but he fulfills the
entire Old Testament story. The roles of prophets, priests, and kings- he fulfills those. The sacrifices, laws,
symbols, and festivals- he fulfills those. But even more, he fulfills the whole story of Israel that stretches
from Genesis to Malachi. Israel - this nation called to be God's son, called to be a light to the Gentiles-
failed to remain faithful to God. But Jesus, God's perfect Son, resisted every temptation. He alone was able
to fulfill the mission given to Israel.
Other than what was mentioned, summarize at least three things that God desired,
Israel to be or to have goals he had in mind for them. How did Jesus fulfill those perfectly?
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Why do you think John criticized the Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew 3:7?
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John speaks of Jesus coming with a winnowing fork in Matthew 3:12. Explain what this image of
winnowing wheat and chaff is meant to convey. If you need help, look at the parable of the weeds in
Matthew 13.
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Writing
• Allow for additional journaling or discussion on the topic of temptation. What particular temptations
exist in our culture? Can Jesus really relate to those temptations, given that he didn't experience modern
life? How can we be stronger in resisting temptation? Use Hebrews 4:14-5:10 in this reflection.
Research
• Study the role of John the Baptist further, having students research what we learn about him from
the other Gospels.
Preparation for next week: Read Mark 1:14- 3:34 in preparation for
next lesson

Early Ministry: A Different Kind of Leader
In these opening chapters, Mark makes it clear that Jesus was an unusual sort of leader, not the type welcomed
by the Jewish establishment. In some ways his actions brought him popularity; in other ways they brought him
criticism.
Identify characteristics of an effective leader.
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What type of a person they would be willing to drop everything to follow?
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One of the characteristics of Jesus that the Gospel of Mark highlights is that Jesus was a different type of leader.
His characteristics did not match those the people had in mind when they thought about the promised messiah.
HEAD
A Different Kind of Leader
Part 1: Jesus' Unusual Ministry
Read Mark 1:14 - 3:12, and locate examples of how Jesus' ministry was unusual. How was he a "different kind
of leader "? Write your examples (at least three per category) below. Include the verses where you found your
examples.
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Unlikely associations: How did Jesus welcome and call a different set of followers from what the Jewish
establishment expected?
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Unlikely witnesses: What strange witnesses were among those identifying Jesus as the true promised Messiah?
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Questioning leaders: What criticism did various leaders bring against Jesus?
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Part 2: An Unlikely Response to Popularity
Find three examples in Mark 1-2 showing how quickly Jesus' popularity grew.
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In just the first chapter of Mark, three people have wanted to reveal Jesus' identity, but he has told them to be
quiet or not to speak. List the three episodes below.
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Why do you think Jesus would tell people not to reveal his identity? Didn't he want people to know he was the
true Messiah?
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HEART
Part 3: Application: Following a Different Leader

When you see the way Jesus acted- the way he treated people, the way he responded to popularity-how does that
make you feel?
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In what ways do you sense Jesus calling you to be different from the "establishment "? What sorts of values are
taken for granted around you-values that don't really fit a follower of Jesus?
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HANDS
Unlikely associations: For you to follow in the footsteps of a Savior who welcomed people
viewed as "lowly," who might be some people you would need to be more welcoming to?
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Questions and criticism: If you were to walk even more in Jesus' footsteps, do you think you would experience
any criticism? Why or why not? What sort?
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Reading: Early Ministry: A Different Kind of Leader

As Jesus began his public ministry, he proclaimed the message, "The time has come. The kingdom of God has
come near. Repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:15). Jesus' words and actions drew attention, garnering
excitement from crowds. People understood that he must be some sort of prophet, for he had amazing power and
teaching ability. But his precise identity was unclear. After seeing some remark able healings and exorcisms,
Mark tells us that "the people were all so amazed that they asked each other, 'What is this? A new teaching-and
with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him"'
(Mark 1:27).
Jesus began to gain quick popularity, but his identity and purpose remained mysterious. If this Jesus was intent
on starting a religious movement, why didn't he use popularity to his advantage? Why did he keep slipping away
from the crowds? And if he was here to restore and empower the Jewish com munity, why didn't he work
together with the
Jewish leaders?
Jesus was also a baffling sort of prophet. Some of the things he did seemed awesome, but other things he did
seemed ... strange. He chose people of ordinary- even low-class-to become his disciples and to fellowship with
him. He welcomed a tax collector, someone despicable in
the eyes of most Jews. He spent time with outcasts, even made himself ceremonially unclean by
touching those he associated with, such as when he healed a leper in Mark 1:14. Would
a true prophet do such a thing?
Not only Jesus' actions but also his teachings baffled and offended Jewish leaders. When he healed a paralytic
man lowered through the roof, Jesus claimed to be able to forgive the man's sins. This was greatly
disturbing; having miraculous healing power was one thing, but it was entirely another matter to claim attributes
that only God possessed! Jesus' explanation was no better: He told the Jewish leaders that "the Son of Man has
authority on earth to forgive sins" (Mark 2:10). Adopting the title "Son of Man" made a bold statement. This
phrase has its roots in the Old Testament Book of Daniel, when Daniel saw in a vision "one like a son of man,
coming with the clouds of heaven
. . . given authority, glory and sovereign" power" (Daniel 7:13-14). Who was this prophet, conceited enough to
claim titles such as these?
Jesus did not immediately answer these questions about his identity. In fact, he kept telling the few people who
understood his identity not to reveal it to others. Why would he do this? Why keep his identity as the Messiah a
secret? It seems that Jesus wanted to give people time to hear his teaching and watch his actions and draw their
own conclusions. Immediately identifying himself as the true Messiah would have produced the wrong response
because Jesus was not going to Be the type of messiah the people expected. He was not going to lead a rebellion
against the Romans; he was not going to restore Israel or punish Israel's enemies all at once. He had a role to
play that no one could immediately understand: the role of a suffering servant.
Mark's Gospel provides many examples of people not knowing who Jesus was. How do their questions help us
to learn about and understand Jesus?
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Read the full context of Daniel 7:13-14. How did Jesus embody the characteristics described here?
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How was Jesus ' leadership style different from the people's expectations of the promised messiah?
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Writing
• Have students write essays about what they think it means to be a leader. To what extent does
success and ability indicate leadership? What does it mean to be a servant- leader? How could students
themselves be servant-leaders?
Social studies.
• Have students research historical leaders who may have at first seemed unlikely
Preparation for next week: Read Matthew 5- 7 in preparation for

next lesson

The Ethics of the Kingdom

List some things in your life, or in the lives of others, that you would consider blessings.
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List some things in your life, or in the lives of others, that you would consider trials or difficulties.
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Which category would you put the following items in: blessing or trial?
o Cancer
o Hunger
o Having the love of family and friends
o Being the object of slander and gossip Having enough money to meet all our needs
o Being mistreated by people
Read Matthew 5: 3- 12. We want to read this passage as though we had never heard it before.
What key words does Jesus put in the 'blessed' category that would not fit on our traditional lists?
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Jesus began his Sermon on the Mount with statements that are very challenging and radical. The original
audience would have been surprised, just as we are today, to hear that people who cry and mourn are the
blessed.
HEAD
Think about what Jesus means in these opening Beatitudes, using questions such as the following:
Why do you think these hungry, poor, meek people are blessed?
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What about those who are rich and strong? Can they also be blessed?
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Why does Jesus include mourning as a characteristic that is blessed? What's wrong with being happy?
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Is the blessing to come now, later, or both?
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Just as the opening of the Sermon on the Mount challenged traditional ideas, so the rest of the sermon also
challenged traditional ideas. The way Jesus taught about righteousness and the law was very different from what
people had heard. Look at how Jesus began the sections of Matthew 5 on murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, etc.
Ask,
What phrase does Jesus keep using?

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Verse 38 says, "You have heard it said, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth... "' Ask, "Where does the 'eye for eye '
reference come from?
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Is Jesus saying that he disagrees with what the Old Testament said?
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Remember what Jesus says In Matthew 5:17: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”. What, then, is Jesus disagreeing with?
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Jesus is talking to crowds of common people, telling them they had "heard things said" about God's law with
which he disagreed. He was referring to the Jewish leaders, the ones given the task of interpreting the law-the
scribes and Pharisees.
A Radical Challenge
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave a challenging message about holiness and sin. He set his own teaching
in contrast to that of the Jewish leaders of his day (the scribes and Pharisees). He used the phrase "You have
heard that it was said" to contrast their teaching of the Old Testament with his teaching of the Old Testament.
Read each passage and act as an interpreter. In the left-hand column, explain how the Jewish leaders were
probably approaching God's law. Given how Jesus contrasts their teaching with his, what do you think was
probably wrong about their interpretation and teaching? In the right-hand column, summarize in your own
words the point you think Jesus was trying to make. You will have to do some interpretation and brainstorming
for both columns.
Matthew 5 “You have heard it said” Jesus’ Deeper Command

Murder
Adultery
Divorce
Oaths
Revenge
Enemies
HEART
Adultery. Jesus said that "If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away "
(verse 29). Should we literally hurt our bodies if they are part of our sin?
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Oaths. In verse 34 Jesus says not to swear an oath at all. Is he utterly forbidding making a promise-such as
during a wedding, or in a court case?
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Revenge. The Jewish leaders took the phrase "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth" (Deuteronomy 19:21) out of
context. Deuteronomy 19:18 makes it clear that this command was written to judges about how they should
punish criminal cases. How does that context change your insight into what God originally intended?
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HANDS
Personal Journaling
1. Now that you have read the broader meaning behind these commands, which commands do you find
yourself struggling with the most? Think about and record the specific ways you struggle in one of these areas.
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2. Jesus commanded us to avoid harboring hatred and anger, or seeking revenge. You may not think of it as
"hatred," but is there someone you have not forgiven or grudges you have not released? Journal about anger you
are harboring and confess it to God.
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3. Jesus tells us to be so truthful- and so faithful in doing what we say we'll do- that no promise is needed.
Our words should all be honest and trustworthy. Yet in what ways do you tend to shade the truth or give a false
impression with your words? Why do we do that? How could a deeper relationship with Christ help you
overcome that tendency?
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4. Jesus spoke of dealing with sin swiftly and radically when possible. Are there steps you could take to
help yourself recognize and stop (or even prevent) a sinful action?
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5. Matthew 6:1 says we should be careful not to do good things for the sake of being seen and applauded by
others. We should do good things for God's glory, not for our own earthly glory. Seeking God's glory will
produce a heavenly reward. In what areas are you tempted to seek your own glory-with a particular achievement
or skill? a character trait you are proud of? Explain.
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Reading: The Ethics of the Kingdom
What are the citizens of Jesus' kingdom like? How do they act? What do they value? The Sermon on the
Mount gives us one of the most beautiful but most challenging explanations of this. Jesus revealed the type
of holiness he desired in his kingdom in a way that surprised and challenged the religious leaders. But
Jesus' message is surprising not just for them, but for us, too. The Sermon on the Mount is challenging to
people of all times in it, Jesus paints a radical picture of holiness.
Jesus begins his sermon with a list of Beatitudes, or blessings, that turns conventional wisdom on its head.
Jesus loudly proclaims that those who are poor, meek, hungry, thirsty, persecuted, insulted, and mistreated
are blessed (Matthew 5 :3- 11). Blessed? Isn't this contradictory? It is as though Jesus were saying, "Happy
are those who suffer!" Things we see as lowly, difficult, or even a curse, Jesus calls a blessing.
We see that just as Jesus is an upside-down king, so his kingdom has an upside-down citizenry. He
welcomes all who are "poor in spirit," saying, "Yours is the kingdom" (Mat thew 5:3). He welcomes those
who acknowledge their neediness, but he rejects the lofty, saying, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor,
but the sick" (Matthew 9:12). Jesus has already shown this through his actions of befriending people who
were crippled, touching people who were unclean, eating with "sinners," and choosing lowly fisher men,
instead of respected Pharisees, for his disciples. Now Jesus hammers home that he has chosen "the world's
down-and-out as the kingdom's first citizens, with full rights and privileges" (James 2:5, The Message).
Jesus goes on to establish the ethics of his kingdom, or rather, to re-establish them. Jesus explains that he
has not come to change or abolish the Old Testament law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). He disagreed
with how Jewish leaders had interpreted and perverted the Old Testament as the leaders added their own
teachings to God's com mands. These additional human laws undermined God's true commands, because
they made external observance take the place of heartfelt obedience. Scribes and Pharisees had reworked
the law's specifics so that anyone attentive to these details could obey the law "perfectly." By manipulating
the laws this way, the Jewish leaders took away the mystery of God's grace. They believed they could be
righteous by observing these laws, while their hearts often remained anything but righteous.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus deepened the law and restored its original meaning. It was not enough
that a person did not murder; a person remaining angry with another was committing the same sin in a
different way. Jesus showed that a change of heart was needed to truly keep God's commands. Jesus'
explanation of the law far exceeded any expectations the Jewish leaders had of the people.
Jesus did more than point out the greatness of our sin. He also provided strategies for dealing with sin. He
used strong images and hyperbole to teach that sin must be dealt with radically and swiftly. Jesus
explained the true way we are to worship God through prayer, offerings, and fasting-doing these things
from the heart instead of for outward show. He taught us about being reconciled to others, about speaking
the simple truth, and what it looks like to trust God and be devoted to his kingdom.
How did Jesus' explanation of the law differ from that of the Jewish leaders?
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What is hyperbole? How did Jesus use this technique in Matthew 5-7?
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What does Jesus teach about rewards in Matthew 6:1-24?
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Drama.
• In groups, make up skits that illustrate the key ideas in the
Beatitudes.
• Watch a section from Ray Vander Laan 's DVD series That
the World May Know. The section that would fit this lesson is
"No Greater Love" from the Life and Ministry of the Messiah
DVD.
Language Arts.
 Locate news clips that illustrate (positively or negatively) the
Beatitudes or Jesus' other admonitions in Matthew 5-7.
Preparation for next week: Read John 6 in preparation for next

lesson
The Signs of the Kingdom

Define the word foretaste.
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Give an example of a foretaste.
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Jesus' miracles were a foretaste, or sample, of the full kingdom that he was bringing. For example, he healed a
small sample of people to demonstrate his capabilities. One day he was going to do the same thing on a much
bigger scale.
HEAD
Jesus’ Miracles
Old Testament Scripture

Isaiah 35:4-7, 10. When God punished Israel by sending them into exile, it was tragic not only for Israel but for
the whole world, because God had promised to redeem the world through Israel! Was the plan of redemption
over? Would the world always suffer under the curse of sin? No; God gave the prophet Isaiah a message of hope
about a coming day of redemption, when the kingdom of God would fin ally arrive:
4 Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with
vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the
wilderness and streams in the desert.
7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
. . . Those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will
crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Questions
List the broken things that Isaiah says will be fixed when God redeems the world.
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How do these broken things embody the curse that sin brought on the world after Adam and Eve sinned?
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New Testament Scripture
Luke 7:18-23. John the Baptist went through a period of doubting whether Jesus was really the messiah. After
all, John was in prison and about to be executed! Jesus had not yet changed the world as powerfully as John
probably expected the messiah should.
18 John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them [his disciples],
19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone
else?
20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one
who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”
21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to
many who were blind.
22 So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The
blind receive sight, the lame walk , those who have leprosy are cleansed , the deaf hear, the dead are
raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on ac count of me."
What did Jesus use as "proof" that he was the true Messiah?
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How are Jesus' words similar to Isaiah's message?
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Jesus is saying that what Isaiah 35 promised is coming true! Put the pieces together: What did Isaiah promise,
and what is Jesus therefore claiming?
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Jesus' miracles did more than just show that he was powerful. In Luke 11:17-20, what did Jesus say that his
miracles of casting out demons proved?
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Signs of the Kingdom
John 's Gospel records seven miracles of Jesus, which he calls "signs." John sees these miracles as pointing to
something deeper about Jesus' identity. You read about two of these signs in John 6. Fill in the chart below by
considering what each of Jesus' miracles demonstrated about his kingship and about the kingdom he will one
day bring in its fullness. You may have to think creatively to find something that each miracle illustrates about
Jesus and his desires for this world.
Brief Description of the What does it demonstrate How is it a foretaste of the

Miracle about Jesus’ kingship? kingdom we will one day
experience fully?
Luke
4:31-37
(sample)
John
2:1-11
John
4:46-54
John
5:1-14
John
6:6-15
John
6:16-24
John
9 :1- 41
John 11:1-57
The apostle John calls Jesus' miracles "signs." Read John 2:11. What was the purpose of Jesus' signs?
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According to John 20:30- 31, did John include all of Jesus' miracles in his book? Why did he choose these
particular ones?
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According to John 2:23 and 12:37, what were the different reactions to Jesus ' signs?
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Explain what it means that Jesus' miracles were "signs" or "symptoms" of the kingdom. How do symptoms
work?
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HEART
Jesus performed many exorcisms. It seemed that everywhere he went, he confronted and defeated
evil spirits. Do you think we should expect to meet with this many evil spirits today? And should we expect to
have the same ability that Jesus' 12 disciples had (to drive out demons and perform miracles)? Why or not?
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There is many Christians who think that we can command miracles to happen. The problem with this thinking is
what happens when a person doesn’t get healed, is it because they don’t have enough faith? What are your
thoughts about the health and wealth prosperity gospel? What evidence is there to support this thinking?
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HANDS
John probably expected the messiah to redeem everything- all the brokenness, all the evil- so he
was confused and disappointed. How would you explain things to John, knowing the rest of the New
Testament?
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Jesus still heals and answers prayer today. Make a list of people that you can be praying for.
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Reading: The Signs of the Kingdom

Previous lessons have emphasized how Jesus came as an upside-down sort of king. He came in humility,
choosing to love his enemies sacrificially rather than strike them down sort of king. He came in humility,
choosing to love his enemies sacrificially rather than strike them down. Yet, though Jesus did not come as
a militant messiah, he nevertheless demonstrated amazing power! His miracles were some of the most
striking examples of his kingship. Jesus revealed himself to be a king who had authority over both natural
and supernatural forces: wind, waves, illness, demons. And his miracles were not merely a show of power.
Instead his mighty acts gave the crowds a foretaste of the sort of kingdom he was bringing: a kingdom
where there would one day be no disease, death, disability, or threats from nature.
The Old Testament prophets had foretold that when the day of redemption came, the curse of sin would
roll away. The broken things of this world would be redeemed: the blind would receive sight, the deaf
would hear, the desert would produce water, and human sorrow would turn into joy (Isaiah 35:1 - 7). When
the kingdom of God finally comes in its fullness, all the destruction that plagues this world will be finally
overcome.
Jesus pointed to his miracles as proof that he was the king promised by the prophets- the one ushering in
God's kingdom. Although his kingdom had not come with the sort of force and immediacy the crowds
were hoping for, Jesus had nevertheless begun to roll away the curse on this world (Luke 7:18- 23). Jesus
told the people, "If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you"
(Luke 11:20). This humble teacher had come to do battle with Satan's kingdom and to overcome all the
forces of sin and evil. Thus, the apostle John says that Jesus' miracles were signs pointing to something
greater. He says that Jesus did not per form miracles simply to gain popularity or as a cheap show of
power; instead, he performed miracles to reveal his glory and move people to believe in him (John 2:11).
Jesus' miracles demonstrated that, although he was fully human, he was also fully divine and uniquely
empowered by the Holy Spirit. Yet some people attributed his power not to the Holy Spirit but to the
unholy spirit- Sa tan (Luke 11:17- 20). Jesus' miracles forced people to make a decision: Will you accept
or reject the claims of Jesus of Nazareth?
Jesus accompanied his miracles with teachings that explained what the miracle illustrated. For instance, in
John 6 we see that Jesus used the miraculous feeding of 5 ,000 to teach a greater truth: that he himself was
the bread of life. Just as the Father sent heavenly bread (manna) to give life to the Israelites, so the Father
was now sending Jesus to provide life to the world. The manna could not offer eternal life, but the true
bread could. Jesus told the crowds that, in order to receive this life, they would have to partake of him, just
as the Israelites had partaken
of manna. This difficult saying turned many away. Even Jesus' closest disciples seemed unable to
understand him many times. But Peter showed that he had grasped the message behind the miracle, telling
Jesus, "We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:69).
The crowds often missed the point of Jesus' miracles. How did Jesus correct and redirect them in John
6:26-29?
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According to John 6:52- 69, why did many of the Jews reject Jesus' claims about being the bread of life?
How did Jesus respond?
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Explain in your own words what a fore taste is and how the miracles served as a foretaste of the kingdom.
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Critical Thinking
• Work in groups to brainstorm and research other signs that accompany spiritual realities. What
outward, visible symbols does the New Testament institute? What symbols and signs were used in the
Old Testament to illustrate spiritual realities?
Drama
• Dramatically re-enact the miracle of Jesus healing a man born blind in
John 9. You could also choose another miracle with dialogue showing
the response of believers and unbelievers.
Preparation for next week: Read Matthew 13:1- 52 in preparation for next
lesson

The Secrets of the Kingdom

Do you think the Jews were wrong to expect the messiah to be a strong ruler who would strike down Israel 's
enemies? Was that a wrong expectation? Explain your answer.
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This is how the prophet Jeremiah spoke about the day of redemption (the day of the Lord):
"The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from
captivity… I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners
enslave them. Instead, they will serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for
them… All your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered... But I will restore
you to health and heal your wounds…The city [Zion] will be rebuilt on her ruins, and the palace will
stand in its proper place…I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel... I will be their God, and
they will be my people They will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest." (Jeremiah 30-
31, selections)
Does this change your previous answer at all?
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It was not a bad expectation to think that the messiah would be a powerful king who would rule Israel and
conquer their enemies in one grand day of the Lord. The Old Testament did, in fact, make it sound that way. But
in Jesus' parables, he revealed a mystery about the kingdom- especially about the timing of how it would unfold.
HEAD
Mystery of the Kingdom
What did the Jews expect to happen on "the day of the Lord," when God redeemed his kingdom?
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How did Jesus change these expectations? Did he contradict the Old Testament picture? Or did he add to it?
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Jesus said that his parables revealed "secrets" of the kingdom (Matthew 13:11). Explain why you could call this
teaching a "mystery" or a "secret."
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What is another mystery revealed in the New Testament but not in the Old Testament?
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Were the Jews wrong to expect one powerful kingdom, before Jesus had taught them otherwise? What about
after Jesus taught them?
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Jesus predicts how people will respond to these secrets of the kingdom in the parable of the sower (Matthew
13:1-30). What different responses will people have?
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What do you think was the key to understanding the parables? Was it just that some people weren't smart
enough to understand Jesus' riddles?
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Challenging Parables
How does this challenge the expectation

that God’s kingdom will come just once to
Summarise the meaning of this parable.
redeem Israel, destroy God’s enemies, and
fix the whole world?
The Parables
of the Weeds
and the Net
(Matthew
13 :24- 30,
47-50)
The Parables
of the
Mustard Seed
and the Yeast
(Matthew
13:31-35)
The Parables
of the Hidden
Treasure and
the Pearl
(Matthew
13 :44-4 6)
The Parables
of the Lost
She p and
Lost Coin
(Luke 15:1-
10)
The Parable
of the
Banquet
(Luke 14:15-
24)
HEART
Jesus crafted parables in such a way that they would reveal truth to those who had ears to hear, but they
would also conceal truth from those who were not willing to believe. Would you say that the parables are
clear or concealed to you?
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The parables revealed the kingdom of God. Have you received Jesus' parables by faith or are you unwilling
to accept his message?
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HANDS
If the kingdom of God is revealed through Jesus’ parables, trying studying some of Jesus' other
parables as recorded in the other Gospels. You might also like read or share what you have learned with
someone else. Record what you have learned below.
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Reading: The Secrets of the Kingdom
Pastors often use illustrations in their sermons. They draw on something from everyday life to help explain
a spiritual truth and make it clearer. We often think of Jesus' parables in the same way. This is appropriate
to a certain point, because parables do use images from everyday life to explain spiritual truths. But
parables were much more potent than a simple illustration. Jesus crafted parables in such a way that they
would reveal truth to those who had ears to hear, but they would also conceal truth from those who were
not willing to believe. They made the truth clearer to some people and more hidden to others.
When the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke in parables, he responded, "The secret of the kingdom of
God has been given to you. But to those on the outside every thing is said in parables so that 'they may be
ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and
be forgiven"' (Mark 4:11-12). Jesus spoke of parables as some thing like riddles. To those able to solve the
riddle, it would re veal a secret. But the riddle would only frustrate those who did not have the faith
necessary to unlock the mystery.
Secrets and mysteries are indeed the best words to describe what Jesus taught in his parables. Jesus used
parables to teach something new about his kingdom- something that had not yet been revealed in the Old
Testament, something that many people would be unwilling to accept: Jesus revealed that God's kingdom
was going to unfold on a different timetable than anyone could have anticipated. Instead of coming with
immediate power and majesty, or with immediate judgment of all evil, the kingdom was going to unfold
slowly, humbly, and progressively. There would not just be one coming of the messianic king, but two
comings: the first a humble coming, the second a glorious coming.
This truth would have been confounding to the original listeners because the Old
Testament prophets had made no distinction between two comings of the messiah. They had simply
spoken of "the day of the Lord"- a glorious day of both salvation and judgment. They spoke of it as a day
when God's people would be saved, God's enemies would be judged, and all things would be made right.
Jesus was revealing that God's kingdom would not come in all its fullness all at once. He used images of
yeast and mustard seeds to explain the prolonged, growing nature of his kingdom. Just like these tiny
objects, his kingdom would begin almost invisibly, but it would spread and expand until it reached a point
of great glory. The
kingdom would not come instantly in one great day but would grow over a span of 2,000 years (and
counting).
Jesus also used images of harvesting and fishing to teach that God would not immediately judge all evil
but would allow more time before judgment. Just as a farmer is patient with his crop, so God would be
patient and allow more time for the crop of righteousness to grow before the final harvest. And what was
the reason for God's patience? Jesus used other parables- of wedding guests and a lost sheep and a lost
coin- to explain God's desire for an even larger harvest where many would be added to the kingdom. The
reason the Lord was coming first in humility- and postponing his rightful role as conqueror and judge- was
to give more people more time to repent. The kingdom had not yet reached its fullness.
Thus, Jesus used his parables to call people to reconfigure their expectations of the kingdom. The kingdom
would be more gracious and far- reaching than they could imagine, but it would come on a different
timetable. Yet Jesus knew that many of his listeners were unwilling to relinquish their own expectations, or
to embrace a humble servant-king, or to welcome outsiders into "their" kingdom. To those unwilling to
accept his message, the parables functioned as a form of judgment. These listeners proved to be spiritually
blind and deaf; their unbelief would ultimately exclude them from his kingdom. But all who received
Jesus' parables by faith were given the ability to embrace the gracious kingdom Jesus announced.
What purpose did the parables serve? Why did Jesus use them? (See Matthew 13:13-17.)
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Describe the new truths about the kingdom that Jesus was revealing to his listeners.
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In what ways was it a good and beautiful plan for God to choose to bring the kingdom slowly instead of all
at once?
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Research
• Research and record metaphors that Jesus used to describe himself in the Gospel of John. Examples
include Jesus saying that he was a vine and a door.
Writing
• Have students create their own illustrations of something in nature or everyday life that bears
similarities to truth about God's kingdom. (One example is rain. Just as rain can bring both blessings
and destruction- beautiful flowers or flooding- so the coming of God's kingdom will bring blessing to
those who follow Jesus but destruction of God's enemies.)
Music and Art

• Have students write a song or create artwork based on images
used in the parables.
Preparation for next week: Read Matthew 8:5-13, 10:1- 20, and
15:21-28 in preparation for next lesson

THE KINGDOM FOR JEWS AND GENTILES

Choose at least one to reflect on and write about below:
Though on one level you know that God can save anyone, what people do you tend to suspect are unlikely to
ever receive Christ? Explain.
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Are there people you have stopped praying for because you have little hope that they will ever change? Explain.
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Have you ever ministered to someone you considered unlikely to receive salvation? Or have you ever been
ministered to by someone you thought unlikely? Explain.
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Even though we may know intellectually that God can save anyone, we have a hard time really accepting that.
Sometimes we see certain people as almost beyond God's grace.
HEAD
Today we will study some scenes of Jesus interacting with people who were unlikely to receive
him because they were Gentiles. They were not God's covenant people. They had not been given God 's special
promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They had not been given God's Word or the sacrificial system. So, the
disciples would not have expected that these Gentiles could be champions of faith, given that they were outside
God's redemptive family.
Three Scenes of Jesus.
Scene 1: Jesus Sends out the Disciples (Matthew 10:1-8)
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to
heal every dis ease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first , Simon (who is
called Peter) and his brother An drew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and
Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon
the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following
instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the
lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal
the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received,
freely give.
To whom did Jesus send his disciples? Why do you think he told them not to go to Samaritans or Gentiles? -
Did Jesus not want them to hear the news, too?
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What message were the disciples going to bring, and why should this message have resonated with their
listeners?
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In verse 8, what did Jesus tell them to do, in addition to preaching? Drawing from your knowledge of previous
lessons, why do you think that was?
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Scene 2: Jesus and a Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15:21-28)
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from
that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-
possessed and suffering terribly." 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So, his disciples came to him and
urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying
out after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25 The woman came and
knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread
and toss it to the dogs." 27 "Yes, it is, Lord," she said. "Even the dogs eat the crumbs l hat fall from
their master 's table." 28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is
granted." And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Jesus was temporarily traveling outside of Jewish territory and met a Gentile woman. Her request was brought
to him three times before he gave a positive response. What were his first three responses?
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Jesus' statements in verses 24 and 26 may seem a bit harsh at first, even though we know he said them gently.
Why did he respond this way?
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Jesus used the analogy of children and household dogs to explain that there is a difference in status: Children are
members of the family; pets are not. How does this relate to Israel and the Gentiles?
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The woman responded: "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's
table." Unravel this metaphor: What do you think she meant?
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Scene 3: Jesus with the Roman Centurion (Matthew 8:5-13)
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 "Lord," he said,
"my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly. " 7 Jesus said to him, "Shall I come and heal
him?" 8The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the
word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.
I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and
he does it." 10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Truly I tell
you; I have not found any one in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from
the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the
kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where
there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go' Let it be done
just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that moment.
Luke 7:4-5 explains that this Roman soldier had already begun to demonstrate faith prior to meeting Jesus. How
so?
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How did the centurion demonstrate faith here?
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Jesus was astonished by this Gentile's faith. In fact, the only two people that Jesus praised for having "great
faith" were Gentiles. Why is this significant? What was Jesus' response to many of the Jews with whom he
interacted?
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Jesus predicts that many people outside of Israel will enter the feast with Abraham- the father of Israel- while
many subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside. How is this similar to Jesus' parable of the great banquet
in Luke 14:15-24? Explain the meaning of both.
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Key points
• Jesus was sent first to Israel, God's covenant people.
• He came as an Israelite, to fulfill the promises of redemption given to Israel.
• Jesus did redeem Israel by gathering back together the scattered people-not politically, but by calling the
believing Israelites to be united in him.
• Once redemption had been offered to God's covenant people, it would be time to announce it to those
outside the covenant: Gentiles.
• God had always wanted the kingdom to spread from Israel to the Gentiles.
A Kingdom for Jews and Gentiles
The New Testament Epistles explain in even greater depth how Jesus brought Jews and Gentiles together into
the same kingdom community. Read the passages and then answer the questions below.
Romans 11:17-24
1. What does the tree represent? What do the branches represent?

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2. Why were some branches broken off, according to verse 20?
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3. What image does Paul use to describe Gentiles?
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4. Paul says that Gentiles can now share in the same "nourishing sap" that the Israelites alone had: the same
spiritual blessings. What sorts of blessings might that include?
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5. Would you say, from Paul's words, that most, some, or none of Israel was characterized by faith? Explain.
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6. From what Paul is saying, what attitude were some Gentiles prone toward?
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Ephesians 2:11-22
7. Paul says that those outside "God's tree" are without five different things. Record on the lines to the right side
of the tree everything that the nonbeliever has "none" of.
8. Now record on the lines to the left side of the tree the things that those who believe do have.
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HEART
When you read the Old Testament, do you think of yourself as inheriting the same covenant
promises as the Israelites? Do you see their history as something you "belong" to? Why or why not?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Ephesians 2:13- 16 says that Jesus "destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility " between Jews and
Gentiles "to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace." Do you sense any divisions
in God's people in your country today? If so, what?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HANDS
Whom do you know who is still outside Jesus' kingdom? In what ways can you reach out to this
person or encourage him or her toward Jesus?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
When Jesus told his disciples to go tell others about the kingdom, the reason he gave was this: "Freely you have
received, freely give." What does that mean? How does this apply to you, too?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Reading: A Kingdom of Jews and Gentiles
In previous lessons we have seen how Jesus came as an Israelite to bring redemption
to Israel. We heard how the Old Testament story had ended in Israel's exile- in punishment from God for
their spiritual rebellion. But God would still be faithful to his promises even though Israel had not been
faithful to him. God was still going to bring his kingdom to Earth through Israel, and more specifically,
through Israel's king.
Jesus came announcing that these Old Testament promises were coming true through him. He had come to
end Israel's exile and to bring the scattered nation back together. No, he did not politically reunite the
nation and overthrow their enemies as many expected him to. But Jesus did spiritually reunite Israel by
drawing the scattered people and gathering them together around himself. Jesus even chose 12 disciples as
a symbol of bringing together Israel's 12 tribes. All of Israel who came to Jesus-the true King of Israel-
were part of this reunited spiritual nation.
But Jesus' parables told two uncomfortable truths. First, Jesus revealed that many Israelites would prove to
be unbelievers and would be cut off from God's kingdom. Those who did not accept Jesus were no longer
part of the kingdom community. And second Jesus revealed that many Gentiles would come to believe and
would be added to God’s kingdom. A reversal would take place; many insiders would become outsiders,
and many outsiders would become insiders. Faith in Jesus, the Messiah, was what would determine one’s
membership.
Many first-century Jews would have been shocked by this teaching because they would have expected to
find faith inside Israel, not among Gentiles. It was Jewish leaders such as the Pharisees who worked the
hardest to follow God, while Gentiles did not even have God's law. Gentiles did not have the sacrificial
system or the Scriptures. They were pagans who worshiped other gods! Not only that, but the Gentiles
were those who oppressed God's people, whom God had promised to judge one day. And these Gentile
"dogs" would be part of the "new Israel"?
Imagine how surprised Jesus' disciples must have been when they heard Jesus pay his highest
compliments-praising individuals for having "great faith "- to two Gentiles. A Canaanite woman and a
Roman centurion? This is not where you would expect to find faith. These are the people you would expect
to see judged as evildoers! But Jesus was pointing to something that had always been true about his
kingdom: If had always been meant to include all peoples. Yes, God had told Israel to be separate from
Gentiles in the sense of remaining distinct and holy. But this separation was not meant to keep Gentiles
out. Rathe r, Israel was to avoid becoming like the pagans in order that they could minister to the pagans,
shining as a light of God's kingdom.
Unfortunately, we know from the Old Testament that Israel eventually became as corrupt as the pagans, so
God used pagan nations to punish them in exile. God 's discipline was meant to humble Israel and produce
repentance, but instead, many Jews developed a hatred of the Gentiles and sought to establish a thicker
wall of separation from them.
Jesus indicated that these responses missed the heart of God. God never wanted Israel to simply hate
unbelievers and glee fully anticipate their judgment; he wanted them to be a missionary nation. He longed
to bring all nations and all people groups into his kingdom, so that his kingdom would fill the whole Earth.
Israel had been chosen for service, not chosen for private privilege.
Jesus told the Roman centurion that his faith was the first fruits of widespread repentance among Gentiles.
Jesus predicted that many would come from outside- from both east and west-and would take their places
at the feast with Abraham (Matthew 8:10-12). We today have lived to see the fulfillment of Jesus' words.
Jesus' kingdom has spread to Africa, Asia, and the Americas, to people of many ethnicities and languages.
No longer is God's kingdom just for Israel; it is a kingdom for Jews and Gentiles.
How did Jesus restore Israel and end their exile if the Jewish people continued to live scattered around the
Roman Empire?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
In what way would there be a reversal in the membership of God's kingdom?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Describe how most first-century Jews viewed Gentiles, and explain why Jesus' words to the centurion would
have been shocking.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Writing
• Ask students to write a journal entry from the viewpoint of one of the people with whom Jesus interacted in
today's Scripture lesson. The journal entry should be at least one page long and be "written" the day after
the encounter with Jesus.
Preparation for next week: Read Matthew 18 in preparation for

next lesson

THE CHURCH: A KINGDOM

COMMUNITY
Answer the following statements with a yes or no.
• The church should make sure that its members have enough to eat. _______
• The church should make sure that all the members attend church regularly. _______
• The church should confront young adults who party and get drunk while they are away at college.
_______
• The church should reprimand those who spread gossip. _______
• The church should help find jobs for people who are unable to find them on their own. ______
• As a Christian, it is my job to confront any of my peers who are sinning. ______
• As a Christian, I should be absolutely intolerant of certain sins. _______
• As a Christian, if I'm struggling in a sin, it is my job to seek accountability. _______
HEAD
Read Matthew 18. Jesus ' discourse in Matthew 18 gave direct guidance to his disciples and followers. These
same words also guide us in how to act as members of the body of Christ. The guiding principles Jesus gave
contrast with the ways of the world. Explain Jesus' expectations for his followers and the way that unbelievers
might respond to the theme using the chart below. Add any other themes on the next page
Theme Worldly Pattern Kingdom Pattern
Treatment of the
weak
Those who sin

against us
Forgiving others'
sins
Humility
Accountability
Read through each of the yes/no statements from the beginning of the lesson. Have your original responses
changed since studying Matthew 18? Record and explain below.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
It is important to be aware that today 's teaching is instruction for how to deal with sin and conflict with other
believers and within Christ' s church or a community of faith. Sometimes Christians have taken such instruction
into an unbelieving world and, rather than winning others over through forgiveness and love, have shut many
out through what comes across as judgment and hypocrisy.
With this in mind, this activity will focus on the difference between the world's method of problem solving and
Christ's method.
The Church: A Kingdom Community
Directions: First, answer the following questions personally, using your own background, knowledge, or
experience. Then, discuss the same questions with another member of your church. Consider seeking the
opinions of someone who attends a different church. Also consider seeking the opinions of someone older,
rather than interviewing a peer.
1. What does the word church mean to you?
My answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Interview answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What do you think are the responsibilities of the church and its members?
My answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Interview answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Think about specific churches you have been a member of as you answer the following questions. Ask the
person you are interviewing to do the same.
3. What have been some of the positive things you've witnessed the church doing on behalf of its members?
My answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Interview answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What are the strengths of your church's ministry?

My answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Interview answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What are areas in which you think your church could improve?
My answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Interview answer:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HEART
In what ways were your answers and the interview answers similar or different?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What does that say about the church as a whole?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
In light of what was discussed in this activity, in what ways have you experienced or heard about conflict
between the church and unbelievers (or non-churchgoers)? What attitude have you witnessed from unbelievers
toward Christians? Why do you think this is?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HANDS
How can you apply some of these principles of forgiveness, love, and humility toward being a light for an
unbelieving world?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Read: The Church: A Kingdom Community

When Jesus heard his disciples discussing who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God, he explained how
his kingdom community was different from the world's. Members of his community were to follow Jesus in his
humility and his care for others. In his kingdom, people were to put others’ needs ahead of their own. They were
to confront sin but also be willing to forgive those who sin against them. He called a child to him and explained
that in order to become great in his kingdom, a person needs to become like a child. Jesus wants followers who
understand their brokenness and need, not those who are caught up in their abilities or greatness. He also wants
us to have simple trust, like children trust their parents to care for them.
Jesus also explained how his body, the church, is to operate. Under no circumstances are believers to lead others
astray. We have a responsibility to uphold others in the faith. Jesus announced passionately that it would be
better for people who lead others to sin "to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in
the depths of the sea" (Matthew 18:6). Jesus emphasized his warning with another strong statement: "If your
hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or
crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire" (Matthew 18:8). So, Jesus used
hyperbole to show how seriously we are to take sin and our responsibility not to lead others into sin.
Matthew 18 makes it clear that greatness in the kingdom of God is far different from what the disciples
expected. It involves humbling oneself before God and trusting in him completely. It also requires care for other
believers. The parable of the lost sheep illustrates the responsibility for fellow Christians to seek out those who
have strayed from Christ. Matthew’s account of the parable indicates that the lost sheep in this story is among
Christ's believers. Luke's Gospel provides a twist on this parable. In Luke 15:1-7 Jesus states that the sheep who
was lost was an unbeliever. Both parables of lost sheep illustrate the responsibility of the body of believers to
protect the weakest of believers as well as to search out those who do not believe.
1. Why are Christ 's followers to become like children?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How are the members of Christ's kingdom to be characterized?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. How are the members of Christ's body to respond to those who have sinned against them?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Critical Thinking
• Have students design a flow chart showing how we are to deal with those who sin against us.
Memory
• Have students memorize Matthew 18:15-19.
Drama.
• Have students act out the way that Jesus directed the disciples to deal with those who had sinned
against another believer.
Research
• Have students research forgiveness. How can we learn to
forgive? Why is it important?
Preparation for next week: Read Mark 8:27-10:31 in preparation for

next lesson

A SUFFERING KING
Have you ever been told something, or warned about something, several times but you just didn't get it? Record
an incident where someone could have said, "I told you so!"
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Explain your thoughts before and after, and try to explain why we sometimes don't listen or can't understand.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
By the middle of Mark 's Gospel, Jesus began to reveal to the 12 disciples that the messiah was going to suffer,
die, and rise again. The Bible says "He spoke plainly about this " (Mark 8:32}, but even so, the disciples didn't
get it. Why do you think that is? Why were they slow to understand?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HEAD
Jesus was revealing that he was a different type of messiah from the one they had anticipated. He would be a
suffering messiah, and he was going to call his followers to walk in his footsteps and suffer, too. Mark may very
well have been writing to persecuted Christians, so these words about the cost of discipleship would be
especially meaningful to his audience.
The Cost of Following Jesus
Mark 8:27- 10:31 contains numerous examples of Jesus revealing to his disciples who he was and what he as the
true Messiah would have to endure. Jesus also explained to his disciples that there was a cost involved in being
one of his followers. Look up the following passages and fill in the chart below. In each passage, look for
examples of how Jesus was identified, how he explicitly explained his mission to his disciples, and how he
explained the costs of following him.
Verses Jesus’ Identity Jesus’ Mission The Cost of Discipleship

Mark 8:27- 9:1
Mark 9:2-13
Mark 9:14- 32
Mark 9:33-50
Mark 10:1- 31
What themes did you see saw in the last two categories?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HEART
Have any responsibilities or hardships entered into your life as a result of being a disciple? Why
or why not?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What have been the blessings of discipleship in your own life? How would you explain the benefits to someone
who thinks Christianity is a drag?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HANDS
What steps might Jesus want you to take to be a more committed disciple?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Reading: A Suffering King

Throughout Jesus' earthly ministry the crowds have been asking, "Who is this man Jesus?" Only as Jesus
prepared for his final journey to Jerusalem do we learn the repeated answer to that question. The first
answer occurs in Mark 8, when Jesus asked the disciples who people thought he was. After they responded
with answers such as Elijah or John the Baptist, Jesus then asked who the disciples believed him to be.
Peter's answer was, "You are the Messiah." Peter finally understood who Jesus was! This was an important
moment for the disciples because Jesus had not used this title himself. He knew that to call himself the
Messiah or Christ would imply to the Jewish people that he had come as a conquering king to save them
from the Romans and establish an earthly kingdom. In fact, Jesus told Peter not to tell anyone his identity,
again because of the mistaken notions that people would attach to Jesus.
Yet how well did Peter truly understand? Jesus immediately challenged his newfound revelation by
explaining the type of messiah he intended to be. He declared that he must suffer and be killed by the
Jewish leaders but then rise again on the third day. When Peter heard this, he took Jesus aside to correct
him. A suffering messiah? Jesus must be mistaken: The disciples couldn't grasp what Jesus was saying
about his impending death. The messiah was supposed to be a conquering king who would overthrow and
judge Israel's enemies! Peter still did not understand, so Jesus re buked him strongly for presenting the
same temptation that Satan had presented. For Jesus to avoid the path of suffering would have ended God
's plan of redemption. Je sus told Peter that he was thinking in worldly terms, not seeing the plan God had
in mind.
In Mark 8- 10, Jesus predicted not just once but three times that he would suffer, be killed, and rise again
in three days. Yet the disciples continued to have difficulty under standing and believing what Jesus
revealed. They did not grasp Jesus ' great humility, that he was soon going to give up everything for
redemption's sake. And instead of modelling Jesus' humility and sacrifice, they continued to argue about
who among them was the greatest, or who should sit on Jesus' right and left in glory. They were
continually flabbergasted by the sacrifices that Jesus asked people like the rich man to make; they sti.11
had not understood how Jesus was turning their concept of the kingdom upside-down. Jesus patiently
continued to teach these slow disciples not only that he would suffer but that following him would also in
volve suffering and sacrifice. There would be persecutions and things that must be left behind. Yet just as
there was a great cost to discipleship, there were also great rewards. Jesus' disciples would inherit an
eternal kingdom that would last forever, and these eternal rewards would be 100 times as tremendous as
earthly treasures. Jesus declared, "No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or
children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age . . .
and in the age to come" (Mark 10:29- 30). Jesus assured his followers that it was a great honor to imitate
their Savior and that one day they would be rewarded for their suffering.
Reflections Questions
1. What costs of discipleship do you think Jesus asks of you?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What rewards have you already seen from following Christ?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
3. In Mark 8:27-10:31, what examples do you find of Jesus' order being different from the way in which
the world is ordered?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Preparation for next week: Read John 7 – 8:59 in preparation for next lesson


UNIT 2 - The King Arrives 2022

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UNIT 2:

THE KING ARRIVES

THE KING IS BORN

A Traditional Royal Birth A Humble Birth

Nevertheless, a True King!

The King is Born

Preparation for next week: Read Matthew 3- 4:11 in preparation for

• What does this passage say?

Read Matthew 3:1-12.

What did John's baptism symbolize, from verses 6 and 11?

Jesus: The True Israel

Similarities between Israel and Jesus

Matthew 4:1-2 Forty days in the desert.

The Spirit led him

Matthew 4:1 He was tempted or

He became hungry after

Tempted in the area of

Tempted in the area of

"Man does not live on

How do you think God

Reading: Jesus Relives Israel’s Story

• What does this passage say?

Identify characteristics of an effective leader.

Part 2: An Unlikely Response to Popularity

Part 3: Application: Following a Different Leader

Reading: Early Ministry: A Different Kind of Leader

Preparation for next week: Read Matthew 5- 7 in preparation for

• What does this passage say?

The Ethics of the Kingdom

What phrase does Jesus keep using?

Matthew 5 “You have heard it said” Jesus’ Deeper Command

Reading: The Ethics of the Kingdom

Preparation for next week: Read John 6 in preparation for next

The Signs of the Kingdom

Old Testament Scripture

How are Jesus' words similar to Isaiah's message?

Signs of the Kingdom

Brief Description of the What does it demonstrate How is it a foretaste of the

Reading: The Signs of the Kingdom

• What does this passage say?

The Secrets of the Kingdom

How does this challenge the expectation

Reading: The Secrets of the Kingdom

Music and Art

• What does this passage say?

THE KINGDOM FOR JEWS AND GENTILES

A Kingdom for Jews and Gentiles

1. What does the tree represent? What do the branches represent?

In what way would there be a reversal in the membership of God's kingdom?

Preparation for next week: Read Matthew 18 in preparation for

• What does this passage say?

THE CHURCH: A KINGDOM

Those who sin

4. What are the strengths of your church's ministry?

What does that say about the church as a whole?

Read: The Church: A Kingdom Community

2. How are the members of Christ's kingdom to be characterized?

Preparation for next week: Read Mark 8:27-10:31 in preparation for

• What does this passage say?

Verses Jesus’ Identity Jesus’ Mission The Cost of Discipleship

Reading: A Suffering King

1. What costs of discipleship do you think Jesus asks of you?