Remember Jesus

Opening question: Can you share one of your most pleasant memories?

Read Isaiah 53:1-12
Note: Isaiah was a prophet of Israel, who lived about 700 years before Jesus was born. He gave messages from God about the corrupt condition of Israel. And he predicted the coming of Jesus 700 years later. He also spoke about the future of planet earth.

1 Who has believed what we've been saying? Who has seen the Lord's saving power? 2 His servant grew up like a tender young plant. He grew like a root coming up out of dry ground. He didn't have any beauty or majesty that made us notice him. There wasn't anything special about the way he looked that drew us to him. 3 Men looked down on him. They didn't accept him. He knew all about sorrow and suffering. He was like someone people turn their faces away from. We looked down on him. We didn't have any respect for him. 4 He suffered the things we should have suffered. He took on himself the pain that should have been ours. But we thought God was punishing him. We thought God was wounding him and making him suffer. 5 But the servant was pierced because we had sinned. He was crushed because we had done what was evil. He was punished to make us whole again. His wounds have healed us. 6 All of us are like sheep. We have wandered away from God. All of us have turned to our own way. And the Lord has placed on his servant the sins of all of us. 7 He was beaten down and made to suffer. But he didn't open his mouth. He was led away like a sheep to be killed. Lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off. In the same way, he didn't open his mouth. 8 He was arrested and sentenced to death. Then he was taken away. He was cut off from this life. He was punished for the sins of my people. Who among those who were living at that time could have understood those things? 9 He was given a grave with those who were evil. But his body was buried in the tomb of a rich man. He was killed even though he hadn't harmed anyone. And he had never lied to anyone. 10 The Lord says, "It was my plan to crush him and cause him to suffer. I made his life a guilt offering to pay for sin. But he will see all of his children after him. In fact, he will continue to live. My plan will be brought about through him. 11 After he suffers, he will see the light that leads to life. And he will be satisfied. My godly servant will make many people godly because of what he will accomplish. He will be punished for their sins. 12 So I will give him a place of honor among those who are great. He will be rewarded just like others who win the battle. That is because he was willing to give his life as a sacrifice. He was counted among those who had committed crimes. He took the sins of many people on himself. And he gave his life for those who had done what is wrong.

Discussion questions:
1. Any difficult words or phrases?
2. Name all the different personalities you can find in the verses above.
3. How is Jesus described?
4. What was His mission?
5. What are some of the results of His death (and resurrection)?
6. Who did Jesus die for?
7. How can we benefit from the death and resurrection of Jesus?

The Lord is my Shepherd

Opening Question: Tell us about one of your needs that you want God to provide for.

Read this Psalm out loud and slowly 3 times
Psalm 23 (ESV)
A PSALM OF DAVID
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Word Meanings:
pasture: A land covered with grass for grazing animals;
righteousness: morally upright, without guilt or sin;
rod: a stick of wood or metal;
staff: stick or cane;
anoint: apply or pour oil;
dwell: to live as a resident

Questions
1. This is the best known Psalm of all the 150 Psalms. Why do you think so?

2. Which section of the Psalm best describes your need that you shared with the group?

3. What images or emotions come to your mind when you close your eyes and think of:
- A shepherd
- Valley of the shadow of death
- Anoint someone’s head with oil
- Green pastures and still waters
- A rod and a staff
- An overflowing cup

4. Based on this Psalm, what do you think about the Personality of God?

5. Which of the promises made in the above Psalm do you need to personally claim and apply in your life today?

6. Match each row on the left from Psalm 23 with the promises of the LORD. Either draw arrows or write down the letter that matches the promise. Some of them are done for you. (It is okay to have multiple different answers.)

7.Read these verses from the New Testament that show how God fulfills the promises of Psalm 23 in Jesus Christ.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

John 7:37 If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

John 6:35 I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.
Revelations 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

Read John 4:4-26

4 Jesus went back to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria. 5 He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the piece of land Jacob had given his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there. Jesus was tired from the journey. So he sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 A woman from Samaria came to get some water. Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew. I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" She said this because Jews don't have anything to do with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered her, "You do not know what God's gift is. And you do not know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would have asked him. He would have given you living water." 11 "Sir," the woman said, "you don't have anything to get water with. The well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 "Our father Jacob gave us the well. He drank from it himself. So did his sons and his flocks and herds. Are you more important than he is?" 13 Jesus answered, "All who drink this water will be thirsty again. 14 But anyone who drinks the water I give him will never be thirsty. In fact, the water I give him will become a spring of water in him. It will flow up into eternal life." 15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water. Then I will never be thirsty. And I won't have to keep coming here to get water." 16 He told her, "Go. Get your husband and come back." 17 "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands. And the man you have now is not your husband. What you have just said is very true." 19 "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our people have worshiped on this mountain for a long time. But you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus said, "Believe me, woman. A time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know. Salvation comes from the Jews. 23 "But a new time is coming. In fact, it is already here. True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. They are the kind of worshipers the Father is looking for. 24 "God is spirit. His worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth." 25 The woman said, "I know that Messiah, who is called Christ, is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then Jesus said, "I, the one speaking to you, am he."

1. Go over any difficult words.
2. Try to put the story into your own words.
3. Is there a conflict between men and women in your culture?
4. Does racism exist in your culture? If you think so, why?
5. How does Jesus address the two issues above?
6. What does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth?
7. What is the relationship between worship and God and Jesus?

Lord of the Sabbath

Opening Question: What do you like to do when you take time to rest?

Read Luke 6:1-11
1 Now it happened that He was passing through some grain fields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, "Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 3 And Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, 4 how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?" 5 And He was saying to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." 6 On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him. 8 But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and come forward!" And he got up and came forward. 9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?" 10 After looking around at them all, He said to him, "Stretch out your hand!" And he did so; and his hand was restored. 11 But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

Word list:
Sabbath - the last day of the week for the Jews (Saturday).
disciples - followers.
synagogue - place of worship and fellowship for the Jews.
withered - twisted and shortened.
scribes – experts in all the religious laws the Jews had added to God’s laws.
rage – extreme anger.

Discussion Questions:
1. What do you like the most about these stories?
2. Is there anything that you don’t quite understand?
3. Say something about the scribes and the Pharisees.
4. What do you think Jesus meant in verse 5?
5. Agree or disagree: Jesus taught that it’s OK to break rules.
6. How can we apply these 2 stories to our lives today?