LESSON 8 (February 2l) Luke 7 . The Messiah Has Come 1. Luke 7;2 mentions "a centurion." When the typical resident of Capernaum saw or heard of a centurion, what would immediately come to mind? Why is his identity important to comprehending the full weight of this portion of Luke's orderly account? 2. What do we learn about this centurion's character from 7:4-5? 3. What do we learn about this centurion's faith from 7:6-8? Why does Jesus "marvel" and say what he says to the crowd in 7:9? 4. Take a moment to revisit the first six chapters of Luke. What miracles have we seen performed by Jesus to this point? And what sets 7:11-17 as absolutely extraordinary? 5. Is there anything we can learn from the question of John the Baptist in 7:18-19? 6. What should we make of Jesus' response to John's question in 7:22-23? What does he mean? 7. "When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John" (7:24). What does Jesus want the crowd to grasp in 7:24-28? 8. Jesus makes a comparison and important application in 7:31-35. What is he communicating? 9. In Luke 7:36-50, Jesus visits the house of a Pharisee named Simon. In 7:40, Jesus says to Simon, "l have something to say to you." what does Simon not see that he needs to see? 10. What can we learn from Jesus' parable in 7:41-42? Does it still apply to us today? If so, how?

Lesson 7 The Lord of the Sabbath Chooses Twelve Apostles 1. Luke 6 begins with these words: “On a Sabbath.” When someone familiar with the Old Testament read this phrase, what would have immediately come to mind? 2. What was Jesus’ point in bringing up the example of David (6:3-4)? 3. “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath” (6:5). What does this claim mean? Why is it significant? 4. What is Luke’s point in recording Jesus’ healing of the man with a withered hand (6:6-11)? 5. “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles” (6:13). What’s the difference? What does disciple mean? What does apostle mean? Is there any significance to the fact that Jesus spent all night in prayer to God (6:12) prior to naming these twelve men as apostles? 6. How would you summarize, in your own words, what Jesus is communicating in Luke 6:20-26? 7. Read and meditate on Luke 6:27-36. What does Jesus expect of his disciples when it comes to love? 8. Read and mediate on Luke 6:37-42. What does Jesus want us to understand and apply? 9. What is Jesus’ point in Luke 6:43-45? How does it relate to your own heart? 10. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (6:46)? In what way does this continue to resonate as a piercing question? How does the parable (6:47-49) drive Jesus’ point home?

LESSON 6 Luke 5 Jesus Calls the First Disciples 1. Luke 5:1-11 documents an incredible miracle of Jesus performed on “the lake of Gennesaret” (also known as the Sea of Galilee). Why did Simon Peter, as an eyewitness to the miracle, fall at Jesus’ knees and say, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (5:8)? 2. What did Jesus mean when he told Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” (5:10)? 3. Luke 5:12-16 documents the healing of a man who was full of leprosy. Why was it so incredible that Jesus “stretched out his hand and touched” that man (5:13)? And why would Jesus charge the man “to tell no one”? 4. “But [Jesus] would withdraw to desolate places and pray” (5:16). Is there anything we can learn from that simple statement as modern disciples of Jesus? 5. “Pharisees and teachers of the law” were sitting and listening to Jesus teach in Luke 5:17. Who were these Pharisees and teachers of the law? 6. “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (5:20). Why was this an absolutely incredible statement? 7. Think about what we have already learned of Jesus from Luke’s orderly account — the circumstances of his conception and birth, his temptations, his claim in the Nazareth synagogue, and the miracles. What else does Luke reveal about Jesus in 5:22? Why does this still matter? 8. What was the real lesson to be learned from Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in 5:17-26? 9. Why would what Luke documents in 5:27-32 have been so scandalous in the eyes of many? And what does Jesus mean in 5:32? 10. What can we learn from the question of the disciples of John in 5:33 and Jesus’ response in 5:34-39? What is the point Jesus wants his disciples to understand?

• LESSON 5 (January 31) • Luke 4 • Jesus is Tempted and Begins His Ministry 1. Jesus was “tempted by the devil” (4:1). Who is this tempter? What does “devil” mean? 2. “The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread’”(4:3). How would you describe this temptation, in your own words? And what can we learn from Jesus’ response (4:4)? 3. “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours” (4:5-7). How would you describe this temptation, in your own words? And what can we learn from Jesus’ response (4:8)? 4. “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone’” (4:9-11). How would you describe this temptation, in your own words? And what can we learn from Jesus’ response (4:12)? 5. “And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time” (4:13). How should we look at the last phrase of that verse? What is Luke communicating? 6. In the Nazareth synagogue (4:16-20), Jesus reads from Isaiah 61:1-2. What is he claiming by telling the crowd in Luke 4:21, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”? 7. “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown” (4:24). What did Jesus mean? 8. What is Jesus implying in his references to the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian(4:25- 27) and why did the synagogue crowd react so violently (4:28-30)? 9. In Luke 4:31-41, what do the demons know with complete certainty? What were the implications for the people of Jesus’ day? And the implications today? Consider also James 2:18-19.10. “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God...” (4:42-44). What did Jesus mean?

• LESSON 4 (January 24) • Luke 3 • John the Baptist Prepares the Way 1. “The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness” (3:2). What does Luke want us to understand about what we are going to hear from John? 2. Luke draws a connection between John’s actions in the region around the Jordan (3:3) and words written by the prophet Isaiah (3:4-6). Why? What is the significance of the connection? 3. In light of all the wonderful things we’ve heard in Luke 1 and 2, why would John bring up “the wrath to come” (3:7)? 4. “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance” (3:8a) was John’s charge. What does this mean? What does it look like, practically speaking? 5. John spoke ominous words in Luke 3:8-9. What do they mean? What did his audience need to understand and how did they need to respond? 6. What do you make of the questions of the crowds and John’s responses in Luke 3:10-14? 7. John’s answer in Luke 3:15-17 certainly seems to be profoundly important. In light of the rest ofthe New Testament, what is John foretelling? 8. While Luke only briefly mentions Herod and Herodias, other accounts give us more detail (see Matt 14:1-12 and Mark 6:14-20). How should we look at Herod’s example, especially in light of the rest of Luke 3? 9. What do we learn in Luke 3:21-22? How does it continue to set the stage for what is to come in the rest of Luke’s narrative? 10. Why does Luke immediately launch into a genealogical record in Luke 3:23-38? What is he communicating with this record and why is it an important part of his orderly account?