Monday, September 17, 2007

Always Trust Christ, Matthew 8:1-9:34

Below is a lesson plan for this week’s lesson, “Always Trust Christ”, based on Matthew 8:1-9:34. See “Sunday School Questions” link from First Baptist Church, Chester, Illinois. I copied it since the link does not appear to be persistent.

Always Trust Christ

Lesson Passage Matthew 8:1-9:34

1. Please state your name and will one or two of you share briefly the biggest challenge you have faced in your life.
2. Do you always trust Jesus Christ in all the situations you face? Why or why not?
3. In the background of our lesson, Jesus healed people. Does He heal people today? Do you know of anyone He has healed? How can this be explained?
4. Why is God always found in "the foxholes of life"? Why do we wait to seek God's help in difficult situations only after we have looked everywhere else?
5. In the first lesson passage, what disease did the man probably have? What potential risks were involved in Jesus' touching the man as He healed him?
6. How concerned would you be if the Pastor asked you to go with him and pray with a man who was dying from AIDS?
7. How much faith did the man possess as he approached Jesus? Think of someone you know or have known with a life-threatening illness, if physical healing doesn't or didn't happen, does that mean that the sick person's faith and trust was inadequate? Defend your answer.
8. What is it that gives you faith to trust Christ with physical problems and sufferings?
9. In some situations we must trust God to help us cope with our sufferings; how do you feel His presence during those times?
10. Here is the question of the day...is there a situation right now in your life that you know Jesus could help you with but you aren't sure He will? What is keeping you from trusting Him?
11. How many of us have seen a storm blow up quickly? How scared were the disciples in verses 23 to 27? To what cause did Jesus attribute their fear?
12. What is the most common response of believers in a time of danger? Why?
13. What storms of life frighten you the most?
14. Do you always trust Jesus to help you in situations that involve risk or danger? If not, why not? If so, how do you know you can trust Him completely?
15. Would someone like to briefly describe a time when you, like the disciples, were awestruck by Christ's awesome, divine power?
16. The account of the paralytic and his friends is also found in Mark and Luke. How do you think the paralyzed man felt about being carried around in his condition?
17.Which do you think was the greatest action of Jesus for the paralytic man: healing his legs or forgiving his sins?
18. Where do you see yourself in this story at the present time? What do you need the most
from Jesus? How difficult is it to trust that Jesus will take care of you?
19. Trusting Jesus opens the door to a daily trust relationship with Him. In what ways is your daily relationship with Jesus Christ sweet?
20. As we close in prayer, let's pray we will be alert for situations, problems, or fears that activate our need to trust Jesus.

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