Verses for This Week: 1 Thess. 4:13–18; Matt. 24:27, 30, 31; 2 Pet. 1:19–21; Dan. 8:14; Dan. 9:20–27; Ezra 7:7–13. Opening Question: “What role does hope play in the lives of human beings?” The lesson this week is anchored by a well-known verse from the writings of the ancient prophet Isaiah - “And it will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our …

Texts to Read for This Week: Rev. 11:3–6; Zech. 4:14; Rev. 12:5, 6, 14, 15; Dan. 7:25; Isa. 54:17; Ps. 119:89; Rev. 11:15–18. Opening Question: “What happens to a person or even a whole society when the word of God is suppressed or ignored?” The opening scripture passage for this week is Revelation 11:3-6, a selection of verses that speaks of two w…

Verses to be read this week: Ps. 119:103, 103, 147, 162; John 16:13–15; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21; Eph. 2:8, 9; Rom. 3:23, 24; Rom. 6:15–18. Opening Question: “What do you think would happen if the common person in our skeptical age were to read and understand the great truths of the Bible? As the title of this lesson indicates, this week we are invited to t…

Key Texts: Dan. 7:23–25; Rev. 12:6, 14; Jude 3, 4; Rev. 2:10; Acts 5:28–32; Ps. 19:7–11; 1 John 5:11–13. Opening Question: “How is it that some people will stand for their beliefs even in the face of death while others won’t?” The lesson this week covers some challenging ground. It invites us to reflect on those who were willing to pay even with th…

Key Texts: John 8:44; Prov. 23:23; Acts 20:27–32; 2 Thess. 2:7–12; Ps. 119:105, 116, 130, 133, 160; Prov. 16:25; 2 Cor. 4:3–6. Opening Question: “What can be done to prevent or slow doctrinal and behavioural drift in the Christian community?" The lesson this week covers some interesting territory in that it invites us to look at the early centuries…

Major Texts: Isa. 41:10; Luke 19:41-44; Matt. 23:37, 38; Heb. 11:35-38; Rev. 2:10; Acts 2:44-47; John 13:35. Opening Question: “Should we regard persecution as something good for the Church, or bad?” The lesson this week picks up the story of the Great Controversy as it played out in the very early stages of the Christian era. It is widely known th…

Major Texts for this Lesson: Rev. 12:7-9; Ezek. 28:12-15; Isa. 14:12-14; Gen. 3:15; John 17:24-26 Every story has to have a beginning. The verses listed above all speak to the beginning of the conflict. The first passage is truly remarkable, even disturbing for it tells of a war in heaven. One is hard-pressed to understand why or how there was war …

Leading Question: Stories often have an arc. There is tension, and the story draws us along because in the unfolding of each story, we see a bit of ourselves and what it means to be human. When you think of stories that have been powerful in your life, where does waiting fit in the storyline? Scripture Focus: Psalm 27:14, Psalm 131, Psalm 126, Matt…

Leading Question: What does it mean to bless God? What does it mean to receive a blessing? Scripture Focus: Psalm 104, Psalm 103, Deuteronomy 6:13, Psalm 96, Psalm 98 The Big Idea: Praise is the beginning, the end, and everything in between in the book of Psalms, absolutely fundamental to the life of God’s people both individually and in community.…

Leading Question: WFor you or people close to you, what is a place that is tied to spiritual experiences or memories of connection with God? Scripture Focus: Psalm 84, Psalm 125, Psalm 122, Psalm 46 The Big Idea: For many of the biblical writers, Zion, or Jerusalem, was the place where God dwelt and from which God blessed the people. For Discussion…

Leading Question: What role do stories about the past play in equipping people to navigate life with all its twists and turns? Scripture Focus: Psalm 78, Psalm 105 The Big Idea: Knowing where we come from is an important part of knowing who we are. Many of the psalms contain recitations of the long history of the people with God, and these recitati…

Leading Question: Covenant relationship is a thread that winds throughout the biblical literature, conceptualized in a variety of ways. What does it mean to say humans are in covenant relationship with God? Scripture Focus: Psalm 89, 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 23, John 10:11-15, Psalm 22, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 7:20-28 The Big Idea: Covenant is renegotiat…

Leading Question: What is wisdom? Scripture Focus: Deuteronomy 28, Psalm 128, Psalm 90, Psalm 137 and 138 The Big Idea: It is usually books like Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes that are described as “wisdom literature.” But the Psalms also include collected wisdom and even the way the songs and poems are organized invites us as readers into a journ…