The Spirit and the Word – Teaching Plan
Key Thought: When we decide to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit and accept the teachings of the Bible, our lives are changed by God’s grace.
1. Have a volunteer read I Corinthians 2:9-13.
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a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. What is the difference between someone having a revelation from God, and someone being inspired by the Spirit?
c. Personal Application : How do you compare Spiritual things with Spiritual in studying what has been written in the Bible? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your relatives states: “Why do people say that we don’t know what heaven is like or what God has for us in heaven, when the Bible says that God revealed these things in the Bible?” How would you respond to your relatives?
2. Have a volunteer read John 17:17.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. How does the Word sanctify us in our lives?
c. Personal Application : Does our attitude in approaching the Bible affect the Holy Spirit’s ability to change us? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your friends states, “I tend to rely on the prompting of the Spirit to guide my thoughts and actions. If it doesn’t agree with some teaching or thought in the Bible, there must be a reason. I trust the Spirit’s leading regardless of what some man wrote.” How would you respond to your friend?
3. Have a volunteer read I Corinthians 2:13,14.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What does it mean that the things of the Spirit can’t be received by a natural man because he can’t Spiritually discern them?
c. Personal Application: In what areas do your own desires or pride keep you from accepting God’s teachings and truth in your life? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your neighbors states, “I think it’s backward and dangerous to look at everything from a Bible-first perspective. We have to use common sense and wisdom in approaching the themes of the Bible. Many unbalanced and unlearned people have misunderstood or misapplied Bible truth.” How would you respond to your neighbor?
4. Have a volunteer read John 5:39,46-47..
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What Scriptures were referred to here by Jesus?
c. Personal Application : Why do so many people feel and live as if the Old Testament has nothing to do with their lives today? Are there things in the Old Testament besides the sacrificial animals that you feel are irrelevant today? 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.
(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.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).
