Challenges of the Christian Life

Lesson 1Submission......................................................................3Hebrews 5:5-10

Lesson 2Purpose ..........................................................................8Ephesians 2:1-10

Lesson 3Wisdom ........................................................................131 Corinthians 1:18-25

Lesson 4Humility ........................................................................18Romans 7:14-25

Lesson 5Prayer............................................................................18Matthew 6:5-13

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prepare Before the SessionRead the session for today in the Study Guide. Then read the options in this Teaching

Guide, placing checkmarks beside the activities you plan to include. After you have decidedwhich options to use, gather the appropriate materials.

WHAT’S IN YOUR TEACHING GUIDE

This Teaching Guide has three purposes:➤ to give the teacher tools for focusing on the content of the session in the Study Guide.➤ to give the teacher additional Bible background information.➤ to give the teacher variety and choice in preparation.

The Teaching Guide includes two major components: Teacher Helps and Teacher Options.

Teacher Helps

Teacher Options

Bible BackgroundThe Study Guide is your main

source of Bible study material.

This section helps you more fully

understand and

interpret the Scripture text.

Teaching Outlineprovides you with an outline

of the main themes in the

Study Guide.

The next three sections provide a beginning, middle, and end

for the session, with focus paragraphs in between.

Focus Paragraphsare printed in italics at the top of the page because they

are the most important part of the Teaching Guide. These

paragraphs will help you move your class from “what the text

meant” to “what the text means.”

You Can Choose!There is more material in each session than you can use, so choose the options from each section

to tailor the session to the needs of your group.

Bible BackgroundLiving the Christian life wouldbe impossible without this

important truth: God lives withus and through us. This truth is

vital because, since the beginning ofchurch, Christians have grown weary inliving out their faith. Why are we so proneto spiritual exhaustion? Maybe it isbecause we forget that God offers to bethe subject of our lives and invites us intoa relationship through which we mayknow abundant, life-giving joy. If weforget this from time to time, we are ingood company.

The writer of Hebrews was addressingChristians who were low on energy,drained by the challenges of the Christianlife. “The threat here,” writes ThomasLong, “is that, worn down and worn out,they will drop their end of the rope anddrift away. Tired of walking the walk,many of them are considering taking awalk, leaving the community and fallingaway from the faith” (3).

Hebrews teaches us where to lookwhen our faith needs renewal. The writerpoints readers to Christ as the source ofspiritual strength. Hebrews reminds usthat weary Christians do not restorethemselves. God does. Aware of theobvious needs in the faith community,the author preaches to the weary congre-gation about the nature and meaning ofJesus Christ, rather than introducing

time-management systems or tips forconflict negotiations. Hebrews devotesitself to developing a rich picture ofChrist, the source of our strength andsalvation. “What is most striking aboutHebrews,” says Long, “is that thePreacher, faced with the pastoral problemof spiritual weariness, is bold enough,maybe even brash enough, to think thatChristology and preaching are theanswers.… This Preacher doesn’t floataround on the surface where the desiresof people cluster eagerly around this orthat fad; he dives to the depths, to thehidden places where profound symbolswork on the religious imagination togenerate surprise, wonder, gratitude andfinally obedience” (Ibid.).

Because the Hebrews audience strug-gled with the challenges of the Christianlife, it is especially significant that theauthor makes the cross central to thebook’s message. “There can be no theol-ogy of the incarnation which does notbecome a theology of the cross,” writesJürgen Moltmann in The Crucified God.“God did not become man according tothe measure of our conceptions of being aman. He became the kind of man we donot want to be: an outcast, accursed,crucified.… God is not greater than he isin this humiliation. God is not moreglorious than he is in this self-surrender.God is not more powerful than he is inthis helplessness. God is not more divinethan he is in this humanity. The nucleus

1Lesson Teaching Guide

SUBMISSION

Hebrews 5:5-10

of everything that Christian theologysays about ‘God’ is to be found in thisChrist event” (205). Struggle andsuffering are part of the human condi-tion. God works through rather thanaround it.

When Jesus submitted his life to God,God made him a priest above all others.Through the law, persons could neverreach perfection. Through Christ, follow-ers are made whole. Christ’s sacrifice ofhimself was “once and for all.” Because ofthis, Christ is the source of eternal salva-tion.

Jesus is fully human, not through sin,but through suffering: “Suffering is notsin; suffering is built into the humancondition. Limitation and weakness arenot sin; they too are part of what it meansto be human. Jesus, as a human being,suffered and was limited and was weak,but his pain taught him obedience, notfaithless despair (5:8); his frailty deepenedhis reverence for God rather than stiffen-ing his rebellion (5:7). Pressed into themuck and mire of human anguish, Jesusnever forgot that he was the Son.Therefore, not only is he compassionatetoward those who have lost sight of thetruth that they are God’s very own chil-dren, Jesus can also take them by thehand and lead them home” (Long, 68).

Jesus Christ’s submission to God inthis passage highlights the strong rela-tionship and trust Jesus shared with God.Because he understood that God was atwork in his life, Christ could give himselffully. Likewise, because Christ gavehimself fully, God’s activity throughChrist was clear. Hebrews reminds wearyChristians that this relationship ofsubmission to God leads to life. Whenfollowers give themselves to God, theylearn to trust and experience the presenceof God’s activity in their lives.

Introduction: Refer to the Jimmy Carterstory in the Learner’s Study Guide. Whenwe recognize our need for deeper faith inGod, this passage leads us to submission asa path to such spiritual growth.

I. Writing to Tired ChristiansA. Describe this sermon’s first audience.B. Explain that the writer responded to

spiritual weariness by preachingChrist.

C. Hebrews offers a defense ofChristianity, showing how Jesus is theclimax of Old Testament history.

II. Jesus’ Life Shows God at Work (5:5-6)A. Note God’s activity in these verses.B. Jesus gave his life to God, and God

declares Christ “Son,” an affirmationthat God makes throughout Scripture.

C. The writer’s reference to Melchizedekaffirms the different type of high priestthat Jesus would be.

III. Jesus Gives Himself Fully (5:7)A. Through the incarnation, Jesus

experiences the suffering that is part ofhuman experience.

1. Through Jesus, God touches thebroken human condition.

2. The cross is the experience throughwhich he does this.

B. Jesus’ prayer demonstrates theconfidence of the righteous.

IV. The Source of Eternal Salvation (5:8-10)A. Jesus’ frailty deepened his reverence for

God.B. Jesus’ passion was the path to his

perfection.

4 Lesson 1

❍ Customizing the StoryBriefly retell the story of Jimmy Carter’sspiritual quest from the Learner’s StudyGuide. Ask the group to imagine them-selves in a similar situation, either as theperson seeking spiritual counsel or as theperson someone has come to in order toseek advice about the Christian life. Setup this imaginary scene by having theseeking person say something like, “I’vegone to church all of my life, but when Ilook at Christians whose faith seems tomake a difference, mine seems superfi-cial.” How would the conversation gofrom here? Suggest that the conversationmight address the following questions: (1)What would a deeper commitment toChrist mean in our lives? (2) What willour struggles be in living for Christ moreintentionally? (3) What particular joyswould we discover from living in such acommitted way?

Depending on the size of your group,you might have volunteers improvise thisconversation in front of the large groupand then discuss the exercise. Or youmight ask the entire group to create thisconversation. Another possibility wouldbe to form smaller groups to talk aboutthis situation and answer the questions.

❍ Language LessonsMention that minister and writer FlemingRutledge believes that churches oftenspeak of God as though God is not activein our lives. She points to conversationsand sermons in which we make ourselvesthe subject and give God the role of theobject in the sentence. Draw on materialfrom the Understanding section of the

Learner’s Study Guide to develop thisidea.

Have learners share examples ofspeech they have heard that put us, ratherthan God, in the position of subject. Forinstance, share the example of the “gotJesus?” bumper sticker. Have the groupreverse that thought, putting Jesus intothe subject position: “Jesus has me.”What’s the difference between these twosentences? Is it too subtle a difference tomatter—or is it crucial?

When our faith is stale, or superficial,God has the power to breathe new lifeinto familiar words. Often, this new lifeinvolves new ways of thinking and speak-ing. After learners list examples of speechin which we make God the object, takeseveral of these and make God the subjectof the sentence. For example: “I think Godis pleased when I share what I have”becomes “God shows me that sharingwith the poor is a way to worship.” Ask:Does our speech affect our spiritualgrowth? How might making God thesubject in our speech affect our spiritualformation? Why? What would happen ifwe consciously spoke and thought aboutan active God? What would it take tomake God the subject of our lives? Whatwould be most challenging about it?

Questions➤ Because making God the subject in our

lives is difficult, where do we find thestrength and encouragement to do so?

➤ What do you consider the greatest chal-lenge of the Christian life, and howdoes it relate to the challenge ofsubmitting ourselves to God?

“Submission” covers a wide range of challenges. Because we live in a culturesteeped in individualism, in which the underlying assumption is that “it is all aboutme,” the gospel of denying self may be our biggest challenge. Hebrews 5:5-10

reminds us that we experience abundant life by giving our lives to God. This textdeclares that we do not take such a leap of faith alone—Christ goes before us and beside us.Christ’s way of submission is our path to discovering a deeper relationship with God.

Teaching Guide 5

❍ God Can Handle Your AngerDuring a Bible study on being honest withGod, a teacher told a story from MadeleineL’Engle’s novel A Ring of Endless Light. In thebook, despite her constant prayers for hislife, Vicky’s grandfather dies. In turn, Vickystops praying because she is angry with Godand wants to protect God from her feelings.Trying to edit her prayers creates a barrierbetween herself and God. Finally, a friendtells her that God can handle her anger.God is larger than whatever she needs totell God. This wisdom restores Vicky’s spiri-tual life. Her relationship with God becamestronger.

After telling this story, the teachernoticed a student crying. “I’ve never heardwe could share anger with God before,” thewoman blurted out. She was facing serioushealth issues with her son, but she didn’tthink she could tell God how upset she was.

Read Hebrews 5:5-10, emphasizingverses 7-9. Explain that the prayers Jesusoffered, are characteristic of a righteousman. Despite the suffering Jesus endured,he remained submissive to God. In hisdying, Christ continued offering himself toGod. In doing so, he was “being madeperfect,” becoming the source of eternalsalvation. By following Jesus’ example ofopening his life to God, we discover accessto the presence of God (Isaacs, 1274).

Questions➤ What good news do you hear in this

passage?

➤ How do our ideas about God affectour relationship to God, bothpositively and negatively?

➤ What happens when we pray honestly?

❍ A Tale of Two WritersTell this story to your group: An expertwriting teacher noticed two people, eachof whom was trying to write the GreatAmerican Novel. The teacher broughtthe two friends together and made anoffer. “Your dedication impresses me,”the teacher said. “If you will regularlysubmit your work to me, I will help thisdream of your writing a novel happen.”After a minute, the first writer said,“Thanks, but no thanks. I do want towrite a book that people will love, but Icouldn’t bear your changing my words ormy vision. I’ll do this on my own.” Thesecond writer, while nervous about theprocess, graciously accepted. The teacherread his work, and they became friends.The writer realized that when he submit-ted his work, the teacher made it better.Submitting made his work more, ratherthan less.

Why do people fear the idea ofsubmitting themselves to anything oranyone? What helps a person choose tosubmit? Read Hebrews 5:5-10. Usingcommentary from the Learner’s StudyGuide, study this passage by consideringhow his relationship with God sustainedJesus as he continued submitting his lifeto God.

A Way to Explore Scripture Christians have always struggled with the challenge of following Christ. The author ofHebrews wrote to encourage believers who were weary of the challenges they

constantly faced to stay faithful to their commitment. If we had been given the task ofencouraging weary Christians to persevere, what would we have said? Some might focus solely onparticular ways to improve problems or challenges. “Try this at the next business meeting,” wemight advise. Hebrews holds up the story of Christ’s sacrifice, the truth about sub-mitting our livesto God, and the reality that we will know God’s presence through submission and suffering.Telling the truth is still the way to build the church. Jesus’ amazing relationship withGod was one in which he submitted his life. His example is our path to God as well.

6 Lesson 1

❍ Praying HonestlyGive each person a copy of the “PrayingHonestly” resource page and a pencil. Asklearners to respond to the “prayerstarters” on the page. Learners may wantto write or begin a prayer. They may wantto pray through each suggestion on thepage. After a few minutes, offer the groupthe opportunity to pray aloud, using thesheet as a prompt. Close by asking forGod’s help in giving ourselves more fully.

❍ Laying Down and Taking UpPlace a cross at the front of your meetingarea, or draw one on the board. Give eachperson two index cards and a pencil. Asklearners to name things that Christiansneed to let go of, or lay down, in order tofollow Christ more closely. When peoplehave named a variety of things, ask themto write one item on their card. Invitelearners to place these cards at the cross.Then, ask the group to name things thatChristians need to take up in order tosubmit their lives to Christ. After theyhave named several of these, ask thegroup to write on their second card whatthey need to take up in order to give theirlives again to God. Close by asking Christto help us all as we lay down what keepsus from being close followers and as wetake up the challenge of giving ourselvesto God.

❍ Writing Our Lives with God This unit gives learners the opportunityto journal briefly each week. You maywant to provide a small notebook forlearners, invite them to bring their own,or have paper available. Each sessionoffers six statements/questions for reflec-tion. Learners will have time to work onone each week in class. If they want tocontinue working throughout the week,suggest that they write on one a day.

Questions(1) Write God a letter about how you have

struggled with submitting your life toGod.

(2) What do you consider your biggestchallenges in living a Christian life?

(3) What helps you pray honestly? Whatdo you hope to learn about prayinghonestly?

(4) In what ways is God active in your life?(5) If you could let go of something (an

attitude, object, idea, etc.) that keepsyou from following Christ moreclosely, what would you lay down?What would you take up that mightstrengthen your willingness to submityourself to God?

(6) Finish this prayer: O God, I want togive you…

If time allows, provide opportunity forvolunteers to share their writing. Close inprayer.

When life tests our faith and we find our faith lacking, these becomeopportunities for spiritual growth. In those moments, God invites us to move

into the deeper waters of our baptism. Those moments are times in which we chooseagain who will be the subject of our lives. Will we serve ourselves, or will we be more open to God’sactivity and direction in our lives? Will we spend our days in life-giving submission to God, beingmore than we were before? God is always inviting us to enter into a deeper relationship, to chooseGod as the subject of our lives.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 7

2Bible Background

When did you discover howchallenging it is to serve

Christ? Maybe you attended achurch business meeting that left

you uncomfortable and disillusioned. Ormaybe you spent hours preparing to teachand no one showed up. Perhaps you’vehad a nagging thought about whether ornot a particular ministry that you’ve beendevoted to for so long is still worth yourtime. Your commitment to Christbrought you such vitality and vision whenyou first made it because you werefocused on a relationship. Now you some-times feel that the focus of yourcommitment is on being responsible.Your commitment brings you a sense ofobligation—and often weariness.

The Christian life is a challenge, andthe longer we follow, the more questionsand opportunities we find along the way.Those of us who are involved in the life ofthe church but find ourselves asking“What’s the point?” need to look atEphesians 2:1-10 again. This passage is aholy reminder of God’s purpose anddirection for us as part of a faithcommunity.

Ephesians confidently declares thatGod is at work in us, actively redeemingcreation. God’s great love for creationmeans God continues creating, redeemingwhat God began. We need this continuingredemption. Verse 1 makes it clear that all

who are redeemed participated in adepraved human nature that left usethically and spiritually dead. “God mustbegin his glorious work of redemptionalways with this sort of dead material,”said W. O. Carver. “Paul has here in mindcomparison of man in moral deadnesswith the physically dead Christ whomGod raised. By the same power and withthe same ultimate purpose, he raised deadsouls.” Paul regularly uses the term“flesh” to mean sinful human nature (88).

When God brings life from death, it isclear what God is capable of doing, whatGod desires, and what the nature of Godis. The grace of God becomes visible asGod takes what we can no longer restoreand redeems it, making it somethingglorious. God began this great work ofgrace through Jesus Christ, and it contin-ues today, bringing the spiritually dead tolife.

Verse 2 suggests that there is a powerin the world that stands in sharp contrastto God. We need to understand thatGod’s work of bringing us to life is wellunderway, but not yet finished. Christianslive between the “already” and the “notyet.” The verb phrase “have been saved” isimportant to our understanding of thestate of our spiritual lives. The writer usesthe perfect verb tense, meaning salvationis both past act and process, and it is inthis realm that we live, move, and haveour being.

Lesson Teaching Guide

PURPOSE

Ephesians 2:1-10

“Although Christians do experiencethe stabilizing reality of their new iden-tity in Christ (2:4-8) that releases themfrom the tyranny of the ‘powers’ and anuncertain future, nevertheless theirpersonal experience of resurrection andascension has not yet occurred,” writesMolly Marshall. “ ‘In Christ’ they areassured of these future realities; and yet itis “only through identification with thedeath and resurrection of Christ that thebeliever experiences the benefits of theseevents” (195).

Because Ephesians does not addressthe concerns of a particular congregation,scholars believe it was a circular lettershared with several churches in AsiaMinor. Its general message applies to allwho need reminding of our purpose inChrist. The longer we follow Christ, themore we learn of our need for Christ. Weare not all that we need to be asChristians. Ephesians understands thisand points us to the grace of God given tous in Christ and the assurance that God isnot finished with us yet.

Twenty-first-century Christians havegrown up in an individualistic culture.Our questions about God’s purpose forour lives tend to center on our individuallives. Ephesians teaches that God’spurpose for us is not isolated from thechurch. Wherever our gifts lead us, bothinside and outside church walls, God hascreated us to be part of the church, towork for a holy purpose.

Introduction: Ephesians describes the glori-ous way that God redeems creation. God’schurch is central to this plan of salvation,as God brings life to Christians who havebecome lifeless by following the course ofthe world.

I. You Are a New Creation (2:1-10)

II. We Were Dead When God Saved Us(2:1-3)A. These verses illustrate the dead mate-

rial that God uses to create somethingnew.

B. This description of the course of theworld, a path of trespasses and sins inwhich we once walked, provides acontrast to the different path that weshould walk, which is described in thefinal verse of this passage.

III. We Are Made Alive through the Grace ofGod’s Love (2:4-5)

IV. As God Raised Christ from Death, soGod Raises Us from Our Lifelessness(2:6-7)

V. We Are Not Saved by Our Works (2:8-9)

VI. We Are God’s Workmanship, Designedto Be Instruments of Grace throughChrist Jesus (2:10)

Teaching Guide 9

❍ Why Walk When You Can Fly?In “Why Walk When You Can Fly?”Mary Chapin Carpenter sings about twoways we can travel through life. Considerplaying this song, from the album Stonesin the Road, for the group. If not, read ordescribe the following lyrics:

In this world there’s a whole lot of troubleIn this world there’s a whole lot of painIn this world there’s a whole lot of trouble butA whole lot of ground to gainWhy take when you could be givingWhy watch as the world goes byIt’s a hard enough life to be livingWhy walk when you can fly

In this world there’s a whole lot of sorrowIn this world there’s a whole lot of shameIn this world there’s a whole lot of sorrowAnd a whole lot of ground to gainWhen you spend your whole life wishingWanting and wondering whyIt’s a long enough life to be livingWhy walk when you can fly

After hearing the lyrics, ask: What’sthe difference between walking andflying in this song? Have a learner readEphesians 2:1-10 aloud. Discuss whatsimilarities and differences the groupfinds between the message in the songand the message in Scripture.

Questions➤ Why do we often choose a lesser way of

traveling through life?➤ What causes, motivates, or encourages us

to choose the better way?➤ What does the better way look like in the

Christian life?

❍ Moments We Were Made ForRefer to Marge Piercy’s poem “To be ofuse,” in the Learner’s Study Guide. If possi-ble, locate a copy of the poem to read in itsentirety. If not, read the final five lines:“Greek amphoras for wine or oil, / Hopivases that held corn, are put in museums /but you know they were made to be used. /The pitcher cries for water to carry / and aperson for work that is real” (5).

We have a great need to feel useful. Thewidespread interest in living a purpose-filled life reflects both this strong desireand the fact that many people feel purpose-less. Many find themselves without a senseof direction for their lives. While most of ushave experienced the frustration of notknowing what we should do, most of ushave also known those moments when wediscovered the work it seems we werecreated to do. Ask the group to namemoments when they discovered a purposeor activity that they knew was somethingthey were meant to do. Have participantsdescribe how their work in those momentsrelate to their spiritual life. How did theiraction affect their faith or theirunderstanding of God?

The music ends, and you stand to leave. In this hour of worship, God reminded youof what is most important. As you begin the new week, you are hopeful that youwill focus time and energy on the things God wants. The next morning, the sched-

ule of responsibilities and obligations fills your mind, and you try to remember what you felt andthought on Sunday.

The challenge of being in the world but not of the world faces every Christian.Ephesians tells us that we have been saved by grace. We don’t need to constantly ask God, “Howam I doing?” But we also know that finding our purpose and living in a way that makes sense of whowe are and Whose we are brings us joy and makes us whole. Ephesians 2:1-10 reminds: God is stillat work in us, making us new. Learning the truth of these verses brings us new life.

10 Lesson 2

❍ A New Way of WalkingRead Ephesians 2:1-10 and notice thatthe first and last verses suggest verbal“book ends.” Both verses describecontrasting paths in which we walk.Before our new life in Christ, we walkedin a way that led to death. Make a list ofthe characteristics of this path. Usinginformation from the Bible Backgroundsection and the Learner’s Study Guide,offer information about Paul’s descrip-tion of this kind of life. If you weregoing to describe this path today, whatwords, phrases, or pictures might youuse? What warning signs could youmake to indicate the danger of thispath?

Now look at the final verse. Talkabout Paul’s reference to uniting Jewsand Gentiles. What good works did Godcreate us to be part of and do? How dowe walk in the path of grace? What doesthis path look like? What are the thingswe do as new creations in Christ? Whatreminders and encouragement help uswalk this path?

Compare and contrast the two pathsEphesians describes. What influenceswhich path we take? If your groupenjoys art projects, consider having twogroups illustrate what these paths mightlook like on paper.

❍ What’s to Love?Using the Outline for Teaching fromthis session, work through Ephesians2:1-10. Ask why God loved us when we

seemed determined not to love God back.What does God’s work of loving the unlov-able mean for us? Discuss why love is theway we continue God’s creative work in theworld.

Share the following story with thegroup: Several women worked in a clothingministry for the homeless. One day, an abra-sive man came into the center, and thevolunteers had trouble dealing with him.When he left, the women’s initial reactionwas relief. This man seemed beyond theirability to relate to him. But the question ofour Christian calling to love the unlovablecontinued to work on the women. The manthey couldn’t communicate with remainedthe focus of prayer and discussion.

When God is at work in us, we are oftensurprised by the activities we becomeinvolved in, which we would not havechosen had we been in charge. God’s list ofthose to love will not be the same as our list.God will stretch us, challenge us, and makeus new in the process. Give examples ofexperiences in which this has been true inthe lives of your group.

Questions➤ Who is it most difficult to love (remind

members not to mention specific names)?➤ What kind of caring and reconciliation

seems impossible to us—and beyond ourability?

➤ What are our arguments for why we don’tlove certain people?

➤ What perspective does the Ephesianspassage offer these arguments?

Ephesians sings of the glory of God’s work in our lives. Imagine how congregationsmust have passed this letter around. Perhaps one group was struggling with a particu-

lar challenge in their congregation when another church sent them the Apostle’s letter,with the note, “We found this especially helpful.” The words of confidence penned here were justthe inspiration the young Christians needed. Encouraged, they passed the letter along to anotherstruggling church.

We need the word that this book offers—that God is active in the world, making the churchalive, uniting diverse people through Christ. We need to read these words anew, as God’sreminder and encouragement to us.

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 11

12 Lesson 2

❍ Celebrating New LifeGive each class member a pen. Makeenough copies of the birth announcementpage from the Resource Kit so that eachadult has at least one announcement.Encourage adults to think of the manyways they see God bringing new life intotheir lives, into their church, and into ourworld. This new life may take the form ofa new ministry, a decision, or a change ofplans. These may be personal or corporateexamples. Give learners a few minutes todescribe this new life on their announce-ment. Then, invite volunteers to read orsummarize their announcement for thelarger group. If your group wanted tohave a party to celebrate these new births,what would you do? Take a few minutesto plan such a celebration.

Questions➤ What difference would it make in our

spiritual life if we celebrated the newlife God re-creates in the world as wellas we celebrate the gift of new life whena baby is born?

➤ Why do we often miss the examples ofGod’s re-creation that are all aroundus?

➤ What could we do on a regular basis tocelebrate the way God works in us?

❍ Writing Our Lives with God Remind learners that writing about ourfaith is a way to record signs of new life wediscover daily. If you are using this optionas a way to end each session, ask adults toopen their journals, or provide paper anda copy of the Resource Kit page for thisactivity. Give learners some time torespond to at least one of the state-ments/questions on the sheet. Remindthem that they may want to take thesestatements/questions and use them dailythroughout the week. After a few minutes,offer volunteers the opportunity to sharebriefly from what they’ve written. Be sureto note that while they are welcome toshare their writing, it is not necessary.Close with a prayer of gratitude for theway that God’s grace is at work in us,making us new.

Questions(1) When do you feel most in need of new

life in Christ?(2) What habits, routines, thoughts,

actions, keep you from abundant life? (3) Describe a time when you felt fully

alive.(4) How do you best express your grati-

tude for God’s grace?(5) What is most challenging to you about

living in God’s grace?(6) What truth in Ephesians 2:1-10 do you

hope to remember?

How long has it been since you put a huge jigsaw puzzle together? Do you enjoy thetedious task of trying to get a small section of the picture together? Have you given up

on a puzzle before it was finished because the process was taking too long? The key tothe art is constantly referring to the big picture on the box, using it as a guide. Studying what thecompleted puzzle is supposed to look like can keep you from getting totally lost among the tiny,confusing pieces on the table. The big picture gives purpose to tedious work.

Ephesians offers those caught up in the tedious work of being the church a view of the big picture.There is a point to what we do. God has a purpose for creation, and God is workingthat purpose out through us. We are not alone, lost among the small, confusing tasks beforeus. We have a Guide who brings meaning to what we do.

A Way to End

3Bible Background

When Paul describes the rootof the church conflict in

Corinth, we have no troublepicturing the scenario: Rivalries

between preachers and their followers aretaking a toll on the church. Some claimthat one kind of sermon is most effective.Others feel they haven’t worshiped unlessthey’ve heard their favorite preacher.Boasting about which speaker is deeper,or more eloquent, says Paul, demon-strates that these churchgoers havemissed the message of the gospel alto-gether. “[The Corinthians] are caught upin rivalries because they glory in thesuperficially impressive human wisdomof this age,” writes Richard Hays. “Theyare boasting about their own possessionof wisdom and rhetorical eloquence—orat least they are infatuated with leaderswho manifest these skills. God, however,has revealed in Christ another kind ofwisdom that radically subverts thewisdom of this world. God has chosen tosave the world through the cross, throughthe shameful and powerless death of thecrucified Messiah. If that shocking eventis the revelation of the deepest truthabout the character of God, then ourwhole way of seeing the world is turnedupside down” (26-27).

Paul understood the gospel as thegood news of God’s saving work throughthe cross, not a slick message or wisdom

teaching that elevates only those whoknow about it (Soards, 1157). The cross,says Paul, divides us into two groups:those who see it as foolishness and perishversus those who find it to be the powerof God and, because of their faith, aresaved. Such a revelation baffles those wholive outside of our faith. Hays notes, “Thegospel is not a slickly packaged philoso-phy, not a scheme for living a better life;instead, it is an announcement [throughwhich Christians] find themselves on atrajectory toward salvation, but theycannot unqualifiedly claim salvation as apresent possession” (27-28).

Paul insists that we remember thenot-yet-completed character of our salva-tion in Christ. We have not alreadyarrived. We see through a glass darkly:“For Paul, however, the power of God ispresently afoot in the world, through thegospel, bringing both destruction anddeliverance. The books are not closed yet;the verdict has not yet been rendered”(Ibid., 28). Verses 18 and 19 emphasizethe continuing destruction that parallelsour continuing deliverance. The phrase “Iwill destroy,” from the Isaiah reference inverse 19, echoes the phrase “those who areperishing” in verse 18. The literal inter-pretation of the phrase in verse 18 is“those who are being destroyed.”

The wisdom of the wise, which theCorinthians valued most, is what Godwill destroy. The quotation from Isaiah ispart of a judgment against Judah. Judah’s

Lesson Teaching Guide

WISDOM

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

leaders were making a military alliancewith Egypt to protect their kingdom,rather than heeding the message of theprophet and putting their trust in God(Isa 29:13-14). In doing so, they rejectedGod’s wisdom.

Those who heard the gospel for thefirst time found it scandalous. To Jewslooking for signs of God’s power thatwould end the political oppression theyfaced, the cross was nonsense. For Greekswanting an attainable and perfectwisdom, the cross was illogical. The crossis a picture of human nature at its worstand the human spirit at its best.Crucifixion was one of the methods thatthe Roman Empire used to eliminatetroublemakers. Sometimes death tookhours, and sometimes it took a week.That God would use this means to revealthe truth and power of God was a stum-bling block for those who heard thismessage. Strength in weakness, gainingby losing, and hope through dying aredifficult concepts for people to grasp.

In addition to his reference to Isaiah,Paul used a second Old Testament refer-ence in this first chapter, Jeremiah9:23-24, to offer help for the state of divi-sion in the Corinthian church. Verses30-31 conclude this chapter, remindingreaders that Christ Jesus “became for uswisdom from God, and righteousness andsanctification and redemption, in orderthat, as it is written, ‘Let the one whoboasts, boast in the Lord.’ ”

The challenge of the Christian life isthe challenge to accept God’s wisdom.Such wisdom involves a kind of listeningand trusting that seems foolish outsideour faith. Yet those who are open to thismessage experience God’s power, sensingGod’s wisdom through it.

Introduction: Paul writes this letter inresponse to the problem of divisivenessthat has troubled the church at Corinth.His attention to the power and wisdom ofthe cross gives Christians a lens by which toview their conflict.

I. Paul describes two kinds of people(1:18).A. People who view the cross as

foolishness and are lostB. People who view the cross as the

power of God and are saved

II. Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14, reminding theCorinthians that God will destroy worldlywisdom and make it foolish (1:19-20).

III. Some seek a power and others a wisdomthat they define by worldly standards, sothe crucifixion is an obstacle for them(1:21-23).

IV. For those whom God has called (bothJews and Greeks), Christ is the powerand wisdom of God. This truth, which isfoolish to the world, is stronger thanhuman power and wiser than humanwisdom (1:24-25).

14 Lesson 3

❍ Faithless/Faithful Jeopardy On large pieces of construction paperwrite the following three answers andattach them to a focal wall or board: ThePerfect Day; Best Gifts to Give Children;Most Important Accomplishment.Explain that in today’s session the classwill look at two kinds of wisdom—thewisdom that the world values and thewisdom that comes from the Christianfaith. In this session’s Scripture passage,Paul says that God’s wisdom turns theworld’s wisdom upside down.

Point to the first answer on the wall,“The Perfect Day.” Have the group state aquestion for which the phrase “the perfectday” could be the answer. Ask the groupto first state a question that peopleoutside the Christian faith might state.Encourage them to be as specific anddetailed in their responses as possible (forexample: What is twenty-four hours ofleisure, an invitation to someone’s beachhouse, and no rain?). Then have themrespond with a question from theperspective of someone who followsChrist. Respond to the other two answerson the wall in a similar way. When yourgroup finishes working through the threecategories, discuss whether there wereobvious differences between the two setsof responses to each answer. If not, why?Which set of questions was harder forthem to create?

Questions➤ What might Paul think of our different

answers?➤ How does the wisdom of our culture

influence our own wisdom?➤ How do we open ourselves to what God

wants us to consider when it comes tohow we spend our time, energy, andresources?

❍ Words of Wisdom TournamentForm small groups and explain that youare about to determine the best advice youhave ever received. Give both silly andserious examples. For instance: (1) Nevergo through a car wash without checkingthat your windows are up. (2) Never makea life-changing decision without givingyourself enough time to consider it fully.

Give groups no more than fiveminutes to share the best advice they wereever given and to choose which piece ofadvice will advance to the finals. After fiveminutes, have each team share their bestpiece of advice with the entire group. Youcould determine the best advice of thetournament by a show of hands, applause,consensus, or a designated judge.

Questions➤ What makes advice “wise”?➤ What determines whether we follow

certain wisdom?➤ What role does our faith play in how

we choose which wisdom we follow?

How do we know what to think? If we’re talking politics, the particular party wefavor will be happy to shape our opinion. If the topic is theology, then denomina-tions, local churches, or our own religious experiences affect the conversation. If we

need to make decisions in matters like caring for the elderly, parenting, or educational pursuits,expert consultants wait to persuade us. In this age of excess information, deciding how we think—and how we make decisions—is crucial. If we don’t think about such things, we lack a largerpurpose or wisdom.

Our faith has something to say about how we think. We must love God with our mind, as well asour heart and soul. But what wisdom does our faith offer us in knowing what to think when itcomes to our daily parade of decisions? How does God affect the way we think?

Teaching Guide 15

❍ Changing MindsDescribe the following story: A churchgroup was discussing grief. One studentmade the comment that dwelling on one’sgrief never helps. “You should just getover it and get on with life,” she declared.Another member of the class spoke up:“There’s something about experiencingsorrow and suffering that gives us thecapacity to know real joy, too.” Bothmembers who spoke had gone throughrecent, potentially life-changing crises.

Consider asking: Why is it that suffer-ing leaves some people changed and someuntouched? Why do experiences that havethe potential to change our lives oftenmake only a temporary difference? Whatdoes it take to change us in a lasting way?

Read aloud 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.Drawing on material from the Learner’sStudy Guide and Bible Background, askthe group to discuss how the cross affectsthe way we think.

Ask group members to think abouttimes in which a growing or a newfoundfaith changed a person’s thinking. Youmight mention stories of people whoovercame prejudice or greed because of afaith experience. The cross is the power bywhich God changes hearts and minds. Inwhat ways does the cross change the waywe think? In what ways do we still need tobe changed by the wisdom of the cross?

❍ Defining Foolish and WiseHave your group create definitions offoolishness and wisdom. On the board,make a list of actions or activities thatillustrate each term. Read aloud 1Corinthians 1:18-25. Discuss what itmeans to say that the cross destroys theworld’s wisdom. Does Paul’s understand-ing of wisdom and foolishness differ fromthe definitions your group gave? Look atthe list you first made. Is there anythingthe group would want to rewrite or addafter discussing the biblical text?

Look at the Understanding section ofthe Learner’s Study Guide and discuss thevarious examples of those described astaking up a cross: the person who contin-ues to visit the Alzheimer’s victim; theretired woman who continues to tutor inthe after-school program though she’s notsure she’s getting through to the student;the nurse who gives of himself to hispatients; the single woman who sharesmoney she could use herself; the fatherwho keeps loving a prodigal.

Questions➤ Why would some consider these

actions foolish? What in these actionsmakes them redemptive?

➤ How could what most consider foolishactually be wise after all? What powercan be found in these acts?

A Way to Explore Scripture It’s an old joke that sitcoms like to revisit: A couple with a new baby prepares for atrip. They rush around, grabbing all the equipment they think necessary for the child,

arguing over what to take, and expending much time and energy in this exhaustingendeavor. Finally, they rush out the door. The camera zooms in on the baby in a car seat, calmlywaiting in the corner of the house for her parents to realize they left behind the most importantcargo.

While their situation was not humorous, the church at Corinth was making a similar mistake.They were busily trying to make the church as effective as it could be, arguing over the best form ofworship, declaring the best way to preach, dividing over ethical points and theology. The problemwas that their efforts took their focus off the one thing that made them a church: the cross. Paul’spassage helps us all recognize what is most important, what is wise, and whatneeds to guide the way we think and live.

16 Lesson 3

❍ “When I Survey theWondrous Cross”

To close this session, sing the hymn“When I Survey the WondrousCross.” You may want to arrange fora soloist to sing for your group orhave someone read the hymn.

Questions➤ When we contrast our lives with

what the cross symbolizes, whatdo we think about and/or feel?

➤ When we consider the cross, doesit move us to sacrifice “all thevain things that charm memost”? If it does not move us tolet go of lesser things, whydoesn’t it? If it does, what arethose things it moves us to will-ingly let go of?

➤ Consider the last line of thehymn: “Were the whole realm ofnature mine, that were a presentfar too small; love so amazing, sodivine, demands my soul, my life,my all” (Watts, 213). What do wegive in response to this amazinglove seen in the cross? Whatcould we give in response?

Sing the final line of the hymn onceagain as a closing prayer.

❍ Writing Our Lives with GodIf you have been using this option throughoutthe unit, have adults take out their journals oruse the Resource Kit pages. Give the group timeto journal in response to one of the followingquestions. Invite volunteers to share theirresponses. Encourage them to take the pageshome and use the questions as a daily activity.

Questions(1) How does the cross affect your thinking on a

daily basis? (2) In what areas of your life is the struggle

between choosing the world’s wisdom andGod’s wisdom the greatest?

(3) What is hardest for you about taking up across for your faith?

(4) Paul describes salvation as a process. In whatways do you know that you are being saved—both in terms of how you have changed fromthe beginning of this process and in terms ofhow far you know you need to grow spiritu-ally?

(5) How are we like the Corinthians, who forgotthe source of their community and pursuedpaths that led to division?

(6) What strength and help do you find in 1Corinthians 1:18-25?

Close in praying, thanking God for the wisdomof the cross, which helps us understand ourlives. Ask for God’s help in learning how to seekand follow this wisdom.

When people try to change someone’s mind, they often present new facts, polish uptheir debating skills, and try to be eloquent. Paul says that when God wants to

change people’s minds, the usual methods of persuasion become meaningless. Whatmakes us think differently, says Paul, is having our hearts captured by the story of the cross.

This passage offers a word we desperately need in an age of divisiveness within the church: Wemust love God with our minds. If we do this, God will point us to a kind of wisdom that the worldhas trouble accepting. This wisdom helps us understand everything else. To love God with ourminds means to love one whose foolishness is wiser than human wisdom and whose weakness isstronger than human strength. To love God’s wisdom is to understand that the crossis the picture of God’s love, forgiveness, and power in the world.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 17

Bible BackgroundThe Bible tells us that anauthentic experience with God

fosters humility in the believer.In the Old Testament, Isaiah saw

God in the temple and cried out, “Woe isme! I am lost, for I am a man of uncleanlips, and I live among a people of uncleanlips; yet my eyes have seen the King, theLORD of hosts!” (Isa 6:5). The NewTestament includes Simon Peter’s reac-tion to Jesus’ gift of an overwhelmingcatch of fish in Luke 5:8: “Go away fromme, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Whenwe experience God’s holy presence, we seeourselves in a different light. Because ofthis, whenever Christians demonstrate anattitude of arrogance, we are also demon-strating our need for renewal, through agenuine encounter with God.

Paul had a genuine encounter withGod; thereafter, he saw his life differently.In Romans, Paul shows how his conver-sion changed the way he understoodeverything, including his past. Admittingour mistakes and shortcomings can be ahumiliating experience, but Paul foundhis faith deepened and enriched by thishumbling event. The words “humility”and “humiliating” share the same root.One definition of humiliation is “reli-gious mortification.” Donne wrote that“humiliation is the beginning of sanctifi-cation,” the act of being made holy orgiven to sacred use (Morris, 641). The

word humble comes from “humus,”meaning ground or soil. When Jesus toldthe parable of the soils, he was describingthe conditions of the human heart.Humility is a fruit that grows in the goodsoil of the spiritual life.

Through his humbling experience onthe road to Damascus, Paul began tounderstand that the law he once believedcould save him actually led him awayfrom the truth. The law itself is good, butsin turns the law into an instrument thatcreates the false belief that we can achievesalvation through our actions. Onecommentator notes, “The law promiseslife, and under the conditions of fallenexistence (in the flesh) people assume thatlife is attained by doing the law. Theyattempt a righteousness of the law that isa righteousness of their own, a humanrighteousness that puts God in their debt.This also is a refusal to submit to God.The law incites sin in the sense of offeringa means to establish one’s own righteous-ness, which is a rejection of God’srighteousness” (Via, 1149).

Paul Achtemeier believes that we mustnot use this passage to discuss the moraldilemma of the Christian. We can workout moral dilemmas through humaneffort. Paul is talking about being captiveto sin. Human effort is unable to effect achange in this kind of captivity: “Only apower stronger than the sin which rulesthrough the law, good though it be, canrescue the ‘I’ from such enslavement. The

Lesson Teaching Guide

HUMILITY

Romans 7:14-254

passage therefore speaks of an absoluteimprisonment, precisely the imprison-ment from which the Christian hasbeen freed by baptism into Christ’sdeath” (Achtemeier, 122). In otherwords, Christ has broken the power ofsin, and Christ can deliver us to a new lifein the Spirit (Ibid., 124).

In other parts of his writing, Paulassures his readers that he understandshow people of faith struggle with sin andtemptation (see Rom 6). However,Romans 7:14-15 reminds those whosometimes feel that the challenge of theChristian life is too difficult that, in fact,the life of faith is an amazing, life-givinggrace. If we ever start to believe that thealternative to the Christian life is moreappealing, we need to remember that lifewithout Christ is limited and hopeless.

This chapter of Romans reminds usthat our saving grace is Christ alone. Wecannot achieve salvation through goodworks. We must recognize, as Christ did,that equality with God is not a thing forhumans to grasp. Remembering thisoften comes through humbling experi-ences, but they are most often the eventsthat lead us to new life.

Introduction: In Romans, Paul addressesthe implications of the Christian life. AsChristians, we must remember our limita-tions and that Christ is our salvation.

I. Three interpretations of Romans 7:14-25 exist:A. Paul’s life as a PhariseeB. Paul’s life as a ChristianC. The life of everyone who tries to “do

good” outside of Christ

II. The bondage of sin: Paul describes thestate in which humans exist. A forcebeyond their control keeps people fromdoing good (7:14-15).

III. The reality of sin: Paul states absolutelythat nothing good dwells within theflesh (7:16-20).

IV. The helplessness of life without Christ:Paul declares that humans are incapableof breaking their bondage without God(7:21-23).

V. Declaration of human wretchedness anda cry for help: Conversion recognizes ourneed for salvation. Paul states both theneed and the desire to be rescued fromthe human condition (7:24).

VI. Proclamation of God’s deliverance: Pauldeclares that God saves humanity fromthe bondage of sin through Jesus Christ(7:25).

Teaching Guide 19

❍ Humility Makeovers On separate slips of paper, writeeach of the following: (1) anawards ceremony—like the Emmysor the Oscars; (2) a politicalconvention; (3) a high schoolreunion. Form three groups, andhave each group draw one slip ofpaper. Explain that each grouphas chosen an event at whicharrogance often abounds. Havegroups give their event a “humil-ity makeover.” They should designtheir event to encourage a spiritof humility. Have each group givea presentation to the larger groupthat includes samples of speeches,agendas, and ways to arrange anddecorate the meeting space to seta humble tone.

Questions➤ How likely is it that events that

typically lend themselves toarrogant attitudes could betransformed into events thatdemonstrate humility? Whatwould it take to have thishappen?

➤ Do you think these makeoverevents would have as muchappeal to people as the originalevents would have? Explain.

➤ How and why do we encouragearrogance? How and whyshould we nurture humility?

➤ If these events you plannedactually happened, what mightresult from such an experience?

❍ What Would You Say?Suggest the following scenario: A young personyou know has always struggled with self-esteem.One day, you read this quotation in a devotionalguide and think about your friend:

Our deepest fear is not that we are in-adequate, our deepest fear is that we arepowerful beyond measure. It is our light,not our darkness, that most frightens us.…There is nothing enlightened about shrink-ing so that other people won’t feel insecurearound you. We are born to make manifestthe glory of God that is within us. It’s notjust in some of us; it’s in everyone. And aswe let our own light shine, we uncon-sciously give other people permission to dothe same. (Williamson, 56)

You send a copy of the quotation to yourfriend, along with a note telling them what agifted person you think they are. Over time, youbecome a mentor to this youth. With joy, youwatch the young person’s confidence grow.

Then, one day you observe your friend amonga group of peers. You’re stunned by this person’sarrogance. The youth demonstrates self-impor-tance and puts down the others. As a mentor, youwant to address this situation without causingyour friend to lose the confidence that was so hardto establish. What would you say? Discuss thelearners’ responses as a large group, or have smallgroups write a response to the youth and thenshare their letters.

Questions➤ What is true confidence?➤ How does a person learn to accept both their

gifts and limitations?➤ How can friends and community help people

see themselves as God sees them?

Humility is an attribute that more people claim than demonstrate. Conversely, andunfortunately, arrogance is an attribute that more people demonstrate than claim.In Scripture, humility is a frequent response to an authentic religious experience.

When biblical characters encounter God, many humble themselves. When we recognize God’s holypresence, we also see our shortcomings more clearly. Spiritual maturity brings anawareness of our inability to live without God’s grace.

20 Lesson 4

❍ Loving Those LimitationsAs a group, make two lists on a board ornewsprint. For the first, ask learners tolist evidence that people believe they haveno limitations and can create whateverlife for themselves they want. Possibilitiesmight include popular sayings, commer-cial slogans, current event examples, orinstances from personal experience. Onthe second list, ask learners to giveevidence that limitations are part of ouridentity as humans.

Compare and contrast the two lists.For instance, if the first list contains morecommercial slogans than the second one,what might that say about our culture?Did either list contain references toScripture or a faith tradition, and whatmight that mean? If the second list doesnot contain any evidence about our limi-tations from a faith perspective, introducethat idea by saying that today’s sessionlooks at human limitations and God’sgrace.

Read aloud Romans 7:14-25. Usematerial from the Learner’s Study Guideand the Bible Background section todiscuss the relationship between the lawand sin, and the law’s inability to leadpeople to the kind of life God offers.

Recap the story of Twyla Tharp fromthe Understanding section of theLearner’s Study Guide. Then ask thegroup to consider examples from theirown experiences in which discovering thereality of their limitations became a gift.In what ways did they grow spirituallyfrom such experiences?

Questions➤ How would Paul describe the limita-

tions all humans face?➤ Why is humility a gift we need?

❍ Arrogance AntidotesAs a large group, name situations inwhich Christians struggle with arrogance.Form small groups of three or four, andhave each group choose one of these situ-ations to address. Within the smallgroups, have learners read Romans 7:14-25. Based on this passage, ask them toconsider what Paul might say to addresstheir situation. Address the followingquestions: (1) Why is arrogance some-times a problem? Who is hurt by anarrogant attitude? (2) Why do Christiansstruggle with arrogance at all? (3) Is therean effective remedy for this problem; if so,what is it?

Groups may want to write Paul’sresponse in the form of a letter. If timepermits, have groups read the responses.

Questions➤ What kind of message do arrogant

Christians communicate?➤ How can we cultivate the spirit of

humility in our lives?

Have you ever had a faith experience that changed the way you had previouslythought about God—or yourself ? Suddenly, you have new questions and new convic-

tions. Everything changes. You let go of some things and take on some things—like newperspectives, new ways of living out your faith.

This experience was Paul’s. In fact, Romans is Paul’s account of how an experience with Christchanges everything. Paul’s encounter with Christ was humbling. It caused his worldview, his theol-ogy, and his understanding of himself to change. Encounters with Christ are powerfulenough to change our vision of who we are and Whose we are.

A Way to Explore Scripture

Teaching Guide 21

22 Lesson 4

❍ The Tangled Web We WeaveHave available a ball of string. Askgroup members to form a circle.Explain that you will hold one end ofthe string and throw the ball to anotherperson across the circle. As you throwthe ball, name something that keepspeople from being free in Christ.Encourage the next person to do thesame, holding on to a piece of stringand naming something as they throwthe ball to someone else. Continuethrowing the ball of string until everyperson is holding on and the group hasmade a web. Compare the web yourgroup has created with the situationPaul describes in the passage. If yourgroup has gotten into this activityenough that they are actually “bound”by the string, have scissors ready to freethem from the mess.

Questions➤ In what ways, like the web we’ve

created, does sin affect us all?➤ What does it take to be free from the

things that bind us?

Put the string down on the floor, andjoin hands. As a group, offer prayers ofthanksgiving for the ways that Godfrees us and is present with us.

❍ Writing Our Lives with GodIf you have been using this option through-out the unit, have adults take out theirjournals or use the Resource Kit pages youhave prepared for them. Give the group atleast five minutes to journal in response toone of the following statements/questions. Iftime allows, invite volunteers to share theirresponses. Encourage them to take the sheetshome and use the questions as a daily activ-ity and time of prayer.

Questions(1) What is your biggest challenge in striving

to live with humility?(2) In what ways are you most arrogant? How

does this arrogance affect you spiritually?(3) What helps you to remember who you are

and Whose you are?(4) How does God help you overcome sin?(5) Why do you think spiritual maturity

means seeing more of our own sinful-ness?

(6) What faith experience has most signifi-cantly changed the way you look atyourself and God?

(7) Write a prayer of gratitude to God,expressing thanks for the grace that givesyou life.

Conclude this session in prayer, asking Godto help us remember how much we needGod’s grace each day. Or lead the group in asong that celebrates God’s grace, such as“Amazing Grace” or “Grace Greater ThanOur Sin.”

Because God’s work in us is unfinished, both humility and arrogance can be a part ofour daily lives. Experiencing God’s presence will help us remember who we are and

enable us to respond with humility for such a gift of grace. Each of us needs remindingthat it is God’s spirit that gives us abundant life. You may want to introduce this last section of yoursession by retelling the story from the Reflecting section of the Learner’s Study Guide about thepreschooler who tried to blow the tree branches. When we pay attention, we can realizethat the wind of the Spirit is what makes things move in our world. The best thingwe can do is to add our breath—and our lives—to the work that God is already accomplishing.Such an experience is both humbling and deeply joyful.

A Way to End

Bible BackgroundJesus knew that the discipleswould face enormous chal-

lenges and that they neededsomething more to lead them to a

deeper life of faith, so he gave them a wayto pray. Since that time, Jesus’ followershave learned that this prayer has thepower to shape their lives. ClarenceJordan wrote, “If we lack a reverent, vital,living expression of this prayer, our liveswill suffer. In it is the secret to greatpower. But it is not released by vain repe-tition. Pagans, even though they callthemselves by Christ’s name, never tasteits essence. For this is the prayer of thetotally committed, the wholly surren-dered, the completely dedicated citizensof the Kingdom of God” (89).

One of the dangers of sticking aChristian label onto everything frompolitical agendas to our automobiles isthat Christ’s name can lose its power.When people wear the label, but are notcompletely dedicated to God’s kingdom,the word “Christian” loses meaning. Jesusconfronted religious people who wore thelabel of the faith without living thesubstance of it. Artificial religion hasbeen around for a long time. When weaccept this substitute for genuine faith,we reject the substantial gift God offersus.

Matthew 6:5-13 is a portion of Jesus’teaching about the difference between

counterfeit and real faith. The theologicalprinciple Jesus teaches is “that which canbe understood as rewardable by publicacclaim should be avoided.… Jesus’injunctions prohibit the assignment ofstatus to members of the community byvirtue of their financial donations, lauda-tory prayers, or works of piousobservance” (Humphries-Brooks, 951).

Matthew sees the Lord’s Prayer as amodel for our private prayer.Interestingly, there are distinctiveChristian elements missing fromMatthew’s version, including the phrase“In Jesus’ name we pray.” Douglas Harewrites, “The most noticeable characteris-tic is its Jewishness. Almost every phrasehas its parallel in Jewish literature.”Matthew’s audience was Jewish, but Harecontinues, “This is not at all to suggest,however, that the Lord’s Prayer is simply acollage of borrowed liturgical phrases. Ithas its own integrity, reflective of theteaching of Jesus. In this sense it isgenuinely Christian” (66).

Jesus taught that prayer has thepotential to be as self-centered asanything else. We need to pay attention tothe first word of the Lord’s Prayer: “Our.”We address God as members of a commu-nity. When we’re tempted to set our sightson health, wealth, and comfort, thisprayer causes us to remember that wepray alongside others whose basic needscry out for our prayers. This prayercenters on God, who cares for us all and

Lesson Teaching Guide

PRAYER

Matthew 6:5-135

calls us to care for each other. It is hardfor people with deep freezers to pray fortheir daily bread in the same way thatthose who are uncertain where their nextmeal will come from will pray. Clearly,this portion of the prayer reminds us ofJesus’ intention that we pray to “ourFather.” We pray for and with those whosebasic need is for daily food. Our world isfilled with these sisters and brothers forand with whom Jesus wants us to pray.

Followers who give themselves toGod through this prayer will find ithard to pray “Thy kingdom come” whilethinking only of themselves. Much of thetime, we want our own will to be done.We need to ask what these words meanfor our lives and actions. A Chineseprayer starts, “God, revive your church,beginning with me.” Our prayer couldbecome, “Thy kingdom come, beginningwith me.”

While sin distorts and breaks our rela-tionships, prayer restores them.Forgiveness is essential to restoring thisbrokenness. As we receive forgivenessfrom God, we are motivated to forgiveothers. Vernon Davis notes, “An unfor-giving spirit is evidence that one has notfully experienced the forgiveness of God.Christians are to pray both for forgive-ness and the grace to forgive” (101). Harecomments, “Our determination not toforgive another is a form of impenitencethat blocks the flow of divine forgiveness.The Lord’s Prayer and the attachedcommentary (vv. 14-15) do not suggestthat God’s pardon is doled out in pro-portion to the number of times we haveforgiven; it is, rather, that we mustgenuinely repent our hardness of heartbefore expecting to receive God’s mercy”(69).

The petition “And do not bring us tothe time of trial, but rescue us from theevil one” reminds us that we always facethe possibility of turning our backs onGod’s hopes for us. We deal daily with thetension between living as God’s child andchoosing a different way. Jordan explains,“We know certainly that God does not

tempt [us] in an evil sense.… On the otherhand, God does allow [us] to be tested.…Is it not therefore logical that this prayershould contain a petition whichrecognizes [our] struggle with sin, and theabsolute necessity of having God’s powerif [we are] to overcome the evil one?” (89).

Introduction: In Matthew 5:20, Jesus tellsthe disciples that they demonstrate a betterrighteousness than the scribes andPharisees. He then describes this betterrighteousness with examples of giving,praying, and fasting. Our session looks atauthentic prayer.

I. Making a Show of Prayer (6:5-6)A. Jesus describes hypocritical prayer as

that which is done for the praise ofothers (v. 5).

B. Jesus contrasts prayer that is meant tobe admired by others with genuineprayer, which is meant for God (v. 6).

II. How Not to Pray (6:7-8)A. Do not try to manipulate God with

your words (v. 7).B. Remember you can’t tell God

something that God doesn’t alreadyknow (v. 8).

III. The Lord’s Prayer: How We Should Pray(6:9-13)

A. Our Father (v. 9): We pray as part of acommunity.

B. Your kingdom and your will (v. 10):Prayer becomes God-centered ratherthan self-centered.

C. Prayer for daily bread (v. 11): Forthose of us with more food than weneed, we’re reminded to pray forsisters and brothers who go hungry.

D. Forgive us as we forgive (v. 12): God’sgrace helps us offer forgiveness.

E. Rescue us from the evil one (v. 13):God helps us with the challenge oftemptation.

24 Lesson 3

❍ What’s Wrong with Rewards?Present the following story to yourgroup: Three ministers attending aconference were having coffee together.The conversation turned to mistakes theyhad made in ministry. Youth ministersdescribed how they wanted theirteenagers to experience missions withintheir own community. “But spending thesummer at home didn’t sound appealingenough to those who wanted to travel tosome exciting, out-of-town destination,”Sam explained. “So we set up this plan. Ifthe youth participated in three of fourmission projects, they earned a trip to thebeach.” “The problem came when someyouth, who decided earlier in the summernot to be involved, had a change of heartby project number three, and wanted todo it all—the missions and the beach,”Sue said. “Not only did we struggle withwhat was fair, but we began to doubt thewhole structure. Providing a ‘reward’ formissions was a mistake. What we reallywanted to teach was that experiencingmissions offers its own reward, in spiri-tual terms.”

Their friend Sarah sympathized: “Wegive prizes to children who learnScripture and check a sheet that they arepraying every day. Will children learn thegift of Scripture and prayer if we teachthem that the real gift is a ‘prize’? Ofcourse, the argument is that by givingincentives they will actually studyScripture and start a discipline of prayer.”

“But if you pray to earn some incen-tive, is that really prayer?” asked Sam.Questions➤ What is the danger of giving rewards for

something like giving of our resources,doing missions, and praying? Why dowe encourage these kinds of rewards?How do we encourage these disciplines?

➤ What are the real gifts that come fromthe practice of missions, giving, study,and prayer?

❍ Heartfelt Conversations 101Ask the group to imagine they have beenasked to write an article titled, “How toHave a Heartfelt Conversation.” Havelearners begin the article with a paragraphsubtitled, “Heartfelt Conversation…Not!”For this section, ask them to list thingsthat get in the way of genuine communica-tion. For instance, they might write, “Tryto talk in a crowded setting where one ofyou will be frequently interrupted. Betteryet, keep your cell phone on.”

After a few minutes, have the groupshare their best suggestions for thissection. Then ask them to write theirsuggestions on ways to have meaningfulconversations. For instance: “Listen whole-heartedly, rather than thinking about whatyou’ll say next while the other is talking.”Have the group share responses. Then ask,“How do our suggestions about whatnurtures good conversation and whatkeeps us from it apply to the discipline ofprayer?”

When something is new, whether it is a computer or a baby, we love to celebrate itspotential. As time goes on, however, we often trade the adventure of exploring newpossibilities for learning just enough to “get by.” Maybe the computer could organ-

ize our family reunions and pay our taxes, but as long as we know how to type and print a letter,we’re happy. Maybe our children could fill art galleries with their work, discover needed cures forcancer, and make the world a better place, but if they learn to clear the table, do their laundry, andgraduate on time, it seems enough. In many areas, we have more potential than we realize.

Jesus reminded the disciples that there was more potential in their religious lives than most peoplewould ever realize. Too many trade the possibilities of an authentic relationshipwith Christ for learning how to look religious. God gives us the potential for more.

A Way to Begin

Teaching Guide 25

❍ Making the Words Our Own Using the Learner’s Study Guide andthe Bible Background material, intro-duce Matthew 6:5-13. Explain thesetting of this passage and its placeamong three examples of disciplinesthat often miss the purpose God hasfor them. Read the Lord’s Prayer, offer-ing commentary on each verse. Asklearners when they first remembersaying the Lord’s Prayer. What weresome of the most meaningful times inwhich they said this prayer? Does aparticular phrase have special meaningfor them? Does a particular phrase orpetition raise questions for them? Whyis this prayer powerful?

Form small groups, give each grouppaper and a pen, and assign them oneof the following: children and youth;college students; young parents;middle-aged adults; and senior adults.Have each group consider the particu-lar age group and how the Lord’sPrayer applies to them. Ask them toconsider the life stage of their agegroup, along with questions and chal-lenges this stage raises in terms offaith. Then, have learners write a para-phrase of the prayer directed to theirassigned group. (You might read aparaphrase of the Lord’s Prayer for chil-dren, as an example of what they will bedoing.) When the groups havecompleted their work, have them sharetheir paraphrases with the rest of thegroup.

Questions➤ How might we pray this prayer differently

at different stages of our lives?➤ How might we pray this prayer differently

at different stages of faith?➤ How does praying this prayer over a life-

time actually change our lives?

❍ Authentic PrayerEvery Thursday night at our church we havean Agape Meal. Two hundred guests fromour neighborhood, the majority homeless,join our volunteers for a hot meal. Beforeeach meal we pray the Lord’s Prayertogether. When we share prayer concernsafter dinner, we pray for the sick, thebereaved, those with addictions, those whoneed inner strength, children having troublefitting in at school, the need to find a job,the depressed, people without housing. Ourdinner guests are teaching us about prayer.Those who stay to pray are not trying tokeep up appearances. Most pray becauseGod is their only hope. Consider asking:Do you think there is a connection betweenpraying the Lord’s Prayer at the beginning ofthese Thursday evenings and the honestprayers offered later in the service? Explain.In what ways do we strive to “keep upappearances” even when it comes to prayer?

Read Matthew 6:5-13. Using the study mate-rial and the story above, discuss what ismost difficult about praying in the way Jesusteaches us to pray. What helps us learn topray as Jesus instructs us?

A Way to Explore Scripture By offering us the gift of prayer, God invites us into a relationshipthat has more potential than we will ever realize. Maybe this overwhelm-

ing truth keeps us from taking prayer too seriously. Do we fear how God might shapeour lives through prayer?.

In Matthew 6:5-13, Jesus speaks about the kind of prayer for which most people settle. When weare satisfied with “appearing to pray,” our reward is “looking religious.” Jesus must have known thatliving out a faith that is more than the mere appearance of faith is a constant challenge for religiouspeople. God gives us the potential for something more. To help us choose this better path, Jesusinstructed us on how to pray.

26 Lesson 3

❍ Praying the Lord’s PrayerIf possible, enlist a person to eithersing the Lord’s Prayer or play aninstrumental arrangement of it.Challenge your group to choose aparticular time each day for thenext week to say the Lord’s Prayer.You may want to ask them aboutthe experience next week: Didpraying the Lord’s Prayer affectother prayers you may have offeredduring the day? Was it hard toremember to say this prayer everyday? Did praying this same prayermake it seem more routine, or moremeaningful? Did you say it differ-ently each day, or did differentportions of the prayer speak to youeach time you prayed? You mightask these questions ahead of timeand have the group respond tothem both before they have triedpraying this each day and thenafterward.

Ask the group how prayerguides us through the challenge ofliving the Christian life. Close bysaying the Lord’s Prayer together.

❍ Writing Our Lives with God If you have used this optionthroughout the unit, have learnerstake out their journals, or give eachperson in the group a copy of theResource Kit page. Explain thatwriting is a form of prayer for many

people. Ask learners to reflect on the experienceof writing during this unit. Did anythingsurprise them about the experience? Was ithelpful or difficult? Did they learn anything inparticular in the writing? Is it something theyplan to continue? Why or why not?

Ask learners to write on one of the follow-ing during the next five minutes. Remind themthat they may want to use the other six ques-tions as a writing guide for the week to come.

Questions(1) In what ways is writing like praying for you?

How is it different?(2) What makes it difficult for you to be honest

with God?(3) Choose a verse of the Lord’s Prayer and copy

it onto your sheet or journal page. Thenwrite about a phrase or word in that versethat grabs you. What do you think Godmight be saying to you through these words?

(4) In what ways is prayer most challenging toyou?

(5) How has God shaped your life throughprayer?

(6) When are you most tempted to use prayerfor purposes other than God’s?

(7) Record a meaningful prayer experience andwhat it showed you about God.

When everyone has had an opportunity to writefor at least five minutes, offer time for volun-teers to share something they’ve written. Closethe session by leading the group in the Lord’sPrayer.

Clarence Jordan has paraphrased Matthew 6:6: “But you, when you pray, go to yourbedroom, shut the door and pray to your Father in private. And your seeing Father

will privately participate with you” (81). Jesus assured his disciples thatauthentic prayer would lead them to a relationship with God. When our prayers feelempty, or meaningless, we need to prepare for prayer by asking if God is the subject of our prayers.We need to question whether we seek God’s purpose in prayer, or our own. Have we rememberedthe way Jesus taught his disciples to pray and followed his wisdom? Are we aware of the One towhom we pray, and do we relate to God in an attitude of humility? God gave us prayer to help uslive through the challenges of the Christian life.

A Way to End

Teaching Guide 27

PRAYING HONESTLY

God, help me…

O God, I fear…

Dear God, I’m sorry that…

Show me how to follow,God, because…

CELEBRATING NEW LIFE

Joyfully announcing the birth of

________________________________

________________________________

(Fill in some form of new life that you have seenGod create in your church, familiy, or community.)

Born:___________________________(When did it begin?)

Distringuishing Characteristics:(Describe the ministry, decision, or friendship andwhat is most helpful or appealing about it.)

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Joyfully announcing the birth of

________________________________

________________________________

(Fill in some form of new life that you have seenGod create in your church, familiy, or community.)

Born:___________________________(When did it begin?)

Distringuishing Characteristics:(Describe the ministry, decision, or friendship andwhat is most helpful or appealing about it.)

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

WRITING OUR LIVES WITH GOD

Journal Entries: Session 1(1) Write God a letter about how you have struggledwith submitting your life to God.

(2) What do you consider your biggest challenges inliving a Christian life?

(3) What helps you pray honestly? What do hope tolearn about praying honestly?

(4) In what ways is God active in your life?

(5) If you could let go of something (attitude, object,idea, etc.) that keeps you from following Christ moreclosely, what would you lay down? What would pickup that might strengthen your willingness to submityourself to God?

(6) Finish this prayer: O God, I want to give you…

WRITING OUR LIVES WITH GODJo

urna

l Ent

ries

: Ses

sio

n 2

(1)

Whe

n d

o y

ou

feel

mo

st in

nee

d o

f new

life

inC

hris

t?

(2)

Wha

t ha

bit

s, r

out

ines

, tho

ught

s, a

ctio

ns, k

eep

you

fro

m a

bun

dan

t lif

e?

(3)

Des

crib

e a

tim

e w

hen

you

felt

fully

aliv

e.

(4)

Ho

w d

o y

ou

bes

t ex

pre

ss y

our

gra

titu

de

for

Go

d’s

grac

e?

(5)

Wha

t is

mo

st c

halle

ngin

g to

yo

u ab

out

livi

ng in

Go

d’s

gra

ce?

(6)

Wha

t tr

uth

in E

phe

sian

s 2:

1-10

do

yo

u ho

pe

tore

mem

ber

?

Jour

nal E

ntri

es: S

essi

on

3(1

) H

ow

do

es t

he c

ross

aff

ect

your

thi

nkin

g o

n a

dai

lyba

sis?

(2)

In w

hat

area

s o

f yo

ur li

fe is

the

str

uggl

e b

etw

een

cho

osi

ng t

he w

orl

d’s

wis

do

m a

nd G

od

’s w

isd

om

the

grea

test

?

(3)

Wha

t is

har

des

t fo

r yo

u ab

out

tak

ing

up a

cro

ssfo

r yo

ur fa

ith?

(4)

Paul

des

crib

es s

alva

tio

n as

a p

roce

ss. I

n w

hat

way

s d

o y

ou

kno

w t

hat

you

are

bei

ng s

aved

—b

oth

inte

rms

of h

ow

yo

u ha

ve c

hang

ed fr

om

the

beg

inni

ng o

fth

is p

roce

ss a

nd in

ter

ms

of h

ow

far

you

kno

w y

ou

need

to

gro

w s

pir

itua

lly?

(5)

Ho

w a

re w

e lik

e th

e C

ori

nthi

ans,

who

forg

ot

the

sour

ce o

f the

ir c

om

mun

ity

and

pur

sued

pat

hs t

hat

led

to

div

isio

n?

(6)

Wha

t st

reng

th a

nd h

elp

do

yo

u fin

d in

1C

ori

nthi

ans

1:18

-25?

WRITING OUR LIVES WITH GODJo

urna

l Ent

ries

: Ses

sio

n 4

(1)

Wha

t is

yo

ur b

igge

st c

halle

nge

in s

triv

ing

to li

vew

ith

hum

ility

?

(2)

In w

hat

way

s ar

e yo

u m

ost

arr

oga

nt?

Ho

w d

oes

this

arr

oga

nce

affe

ct y

ou

spir

itua

lly?

(3)

Wha

t he

lps

you

to r

emem

ber

who

yo

u ar

e an

dw

hose

yo

u ar

e?

(4)

Ho

w d

oes

Go

d h

elp

yo

u o

verc

om

e si

n in

yo

ur li

fe?

(5)

Why

do

yo

u th

ink

spir

itua

l mat

urit

y m

eans

see

ing

mo

re o

f our

ow

n si

nful

ness

?

(6)

Wha

t fa

ith

exp

erie

nce

has

mo

st s

igni

fican

tly

chan

ged

the

way

yo

u lo

ok

at y

our

self

and

yo

urG

od?

(7)

Wri

te a

pra

yer

of g

rati

tud

e to

Go

d, e

xpre

ssin

gth

anks

for

the

grac

e th

at g

ives

yo

u lif

e.

Jour

nal E

ntri

es: S

essi

on

5(1

) In

wha

t w

ays

is w

riti

ng li

ke p

rayi

ng fo

r yo

u? H

ow

is it

diff

eren

t?

(2)

Wha

t m

akes

it d

iffic

ult

for

you

to b

e ho

nest

wit

hG

od?

(3)

Cho

ose

a v

erse

of t

he L

ord

’s P

raye

r an

d c

op

y it

ont

o y

our

she

et o

r jo

urna

l pag

e. T

hen

wri

teab

out

a p

hras

e o

r w

ord

in t

hat

vers

e th

at g

rab

syo

u. W

hat

do

yo

u th

ink

Go

d m

ight

be

sayi

ng t

oyo

u th

roug

h th

ese

wo

rds?

(4)

In w

hat

way

s is

pra

yer

mo

st c

halle

ngin

g to

yo

u?

(5)

Ho

w h

as G

od

sha

ped

yo

ur li

fe t

hro

ugh

pra

yer?

(6)

Whe

n ar

e yo

u m

ost

tem

pte

d t

o u

se p

raye

r fo

rp

urp

ose

s o

ther

tha

n G

od

’s?

(7)

Rec

ord

a m

eani

ngfu

l pra

yer

exp

erie

nce

and

wha

tit

sho

wed

yo

u ab

out

Go

d.