Adult Bible Studies Winter 2020-2021 Teacher – eBook

Winter Theme: Hope
This winter, our lessons
develop the theme of “Hope.” The writers of the student book lessons are
Taylor Mills and Bruce Batchelor-Glader; the teacher book writer is
Stan Purdum.

The Good News
These lessons
continue a unit that began with the last Sunday in the fall quarter,
encompassing the Sundays of Advent and the first Sunday after Christmas.
They call us to consider the Incarnation and what it means that God
sent Jesus into the world in human form, as one of us. Thus, the lessons
invite us to think about the relationship God wants to have with us and
how God’s sending Jesus makes that relationship possible.

The Hypocrites and the Holy
The
lessons in this unit challenge us to examine ourselves in light of the
examples we see in the individuals in Scripture. Where do we find
instances of hypocrisy or holiness? And how do these tendencies
contribute to or diminish our hope? Lesson 5 focuses on John the
Baptist, preparing the way for Jesus, the hope of the
world. Lesson 6
tells of Jesus commenting on John’s ministry and announcing the good
news. Lessons 7 and 8 help us think about how the hope Jesus brought
functions in our lives. And Lesson 9 looks toward the ultimate
fulfillment of that hope, with the full coming of the kingdom of God.

Holy Living
This
unit embraces all the Sundays of February and March; and, as such, it
continues into the next quarter. The eight lessons of the unit invite us
to think about what it means to be the people of God and to pursue holy
living. The four lessons in this quarter help us look at how we deal
with one another; how faith is expressed action; the sort of “fasting”
God wants from us (whether or not we abstain from certain foods); and
how, in fact, Christians are the temple of God. During this unit, Lent
begins, which is an especially appropriate time to think about holiness.

Hundreds of thousands of people each week have transformative
encounters with God through Adult Bible Studies—Bible-based,
Christ-focused Sunday school lessons and midweek Bible studies endorsed
by the Curriculum Resources Committee of the The United Methodist
Church. In fall 2019, based on feedback from hundreds of readers, we
made exciting changes designed to benefit Bible study groups. For 2020,
in response to additional feedback, we are reintroducing printed focal
Bible passages in both the Student and Teacher books. Lessons follow the
church seasons, including Advent and Lent, and include suggestions for
developing spiritual practices to help nurture your faith.

Published quarterly, each week's Student Book lesson lists background
Scripture, features key verses, provides reliable and relevant biblical
explanation and application, and more, in a readable font size that is
accessible to everyone.

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