Key Thought : If we are Christ’s, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him. All we have and are is consecrated to Him. We long to bear His image, breathe His Spirit, do His will, and please Him in all things.

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[Lesson plan for Following Jesus in Everyday Life June 1, 2015]

1. Have a volunteer read Luke 12:4-12.

a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. Why does God tell us not to be afraid of people who can harm or kill us? What is the focus of His statement?
c. Personal Application: Has God ever given you something to say to someone that you hadn’t rehearsed or planned to say, and you knew the Holy Spirit had given you the words to speak? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “What is this blasphemy against the Holy Ghost? Why can’t God forgive someone who does that? Because he doesn’t want to, or because He can’t?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Luke 12:13-21.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. Why didn’t Jesus want to get involved in the brother’s squabble over their inheritance? Isn’t He also a God of justice? Isn’t it wrong to defraud one another? Does that mean God doesn’t care when someone is taking advantage of?
c. Personal Application: What is the balance we should have in caring for our own needs and taking care of our obligations to God and to others? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why did Jesus call the rich man a fool? Is it wrong to plan for the future? What were the rich man’s shortcomings?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

3. Have a volunteer read Luke 18:24-30.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What does Jesus mean that some will leave house, parents, spouse, or children and receive a reward now and in heaven?
c. Personal Application: How can we make everyone who comes in the door of the church feel especially loved and important? Share your thoughts..
d. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “Why does Jesus speak about how hard it is for a rich man to enter heaven? Doesn’t God bless some with money, lands, and position? So it isn’t having these things that is the problem. What is the point here?” How would you respond to your friend?

4. Have a volunteer read Luke 22:24-27.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. How often do church members argue over unimportant details of church life and forget the focus of Christian ministry?
c. Personal Application: Have you ever envied someone and wanted to be like them, or better than they were in some thing? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Note : “Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.” MH p. 149.

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