Think about the last 5 times you've been frustrated with church. How many of them are related to things not being exactly the way you like? Some of us have a tendency to want things with church to be done our way. This week, we will take the example of a petty argument among the disciples and see it in contrast with the servant attitude of Jesus. This is the third in a series of six lessons based on the book, I Am a Church Member, by Thom Rainer.

What kind of church member are you? Are you involved and invested, or is just something that occupies an hour or two of your week? In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul describes us a parts of the body with different but important roles. Over the next several weeks, we will talk about what it means to be a church member and how we can become better ones. Based on the book, I Am a Church Member, by Thom Rainer.

In Luke 2, we learn about two trips to the temple made by the family of Jesus. As a result, we get some insight into the family where Jesus grew up and what was important to them.

"Do not judge." It might be the part of a verse in the Bible that is most quoted by those who do not know much about the rest of the book. Like in any book, context is very important. The story does not end in the first half of Matthew 7:1. This lesson explores what this command is and what it is not.

As Black Friday approaches, it's hard to ignore our society's addiction to stuff. So many of us want bigger houses, bigger cars, more money and the latest technology. Those things can be great, but they are all temporary and they take our attention off what is really important. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 that we should instead focus our energy on God, who is everlasting.

In Matthew 18, the disciples are having another disagreement over the kind of question they should not be worried about anyway: who will be the greatest? We might have many answers for a question like that, but Jesus took the opportunity to have them consider becoming more like children. What childlike qualities do you wish you could regain?

As disciples of Jesus, we are called to live in a way that is distinctive in our culture. In Matthew 5, Jesus encourages his disciples to be salt and light to the world around us. Do people see us as that city on a hill?

Jesus broke cultural and religious barriers to have a life-changing conversation with a Samaritan woman who came to a well looking for water. This week we learn about how Jesus sees beyond those label to her physical, and more importantly, spiritual needs.

Most weddings are filled with memorable moments. The first miracle of Jesus recorded in scripture takes place at a wedding at Cana. This week we see how Jesus interacts with family and friends and ensures a wedding that they would never forget.

 

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. Have you ever considered that the Spirit might lead us into difficult circumstances to strengthen our faith? This week we will consider how Jesus was tempted and how that relates to our own struggles.

Our God does not act randomly. From the beginning, His plan was to send Jesus to live among us. This lesson from John 1:1-14 begins our series on the life of Jesus.