Primary Text: Matthew 9:9-17

Memory Verse: And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Matthew 9:11-13

Introduction:
The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) calls us to reach out to others with the good news of Jesus Christ. Who are

Sunday: The Call of Matthew — Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:13-14; Luke 5:27-28
Matthew was a tax collector. He was contracted by the Roman government. The Jews despised this position because publicans were considered traitors because they worked for Rome and because they were notorious for collecting more than what was required and pocketing the difference. In many ways, Matthew was considered the vilest of sinners and perhaps to the amazement of others, he was just the type of person Jesus was looking for to “come follow Him.” Even a despised tax collector could become a useful tool in the hands

Primary Text: John 5:1-47

Memory Verse: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” John 5:24-25

Introduction:
This week’s lesson is taken entirely from the fifth chapter of John, and is comprised of two parts. First, Jesus heals a paralytic man at the

Sunday: The Pool of Bethesda — John 5:1-9
The crowd around that pool must have been a pathetic sight: hundreds gathered who were lame, feverish, blind, withered, and diseased, all with the hope of being healed. Jesus focused that day on just one. For 38 years the man had been infirmed, and was too weak for even a chance of reaching the healing waters. That day, healing waters came to him in the form of the Great Physician. But before Jesus spoke life into him, the man had to affirm that he “wanted” to be healed. Strangely, people sometimes hide

Primary Text: Luke 6:1-11

Memory Verse: Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Luke 6:9-10

Introduction:
After the arrest of John the Baptist, the Jewish religious leaders increased their criticisms of Jesus. The first accusation they hurl against Jesus is that He and His disciples

Sunday: Picking Grain — Matthew 12:1-2; Mark 2:23-24; Luke 6:1-2
The law allowed people travelling through an area to gather enough grain for a small meal (Deuteronomy 23:25), which is exactly what the disciples were doing. What, then, were the Pharisees complaining about? The Pharisees had established themselves as religious authorities, creating detailed laws about what could or could not be done on the Sabbath. “Rabbinical law” specified that plucking the heads of grain on the Sabbath was “harvesting” and it was forbidden on the Sabbath–even for personal use.

Monday: King David & the Shewbread — Matthew 12:3-6; Mark 2:25-26;

Sunday: Why Luke Writes — Luke 1:1-4
Under Holy Spirit inspiration, Luke successfully writes the most complete, accurate, and chronological account of the events Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, trials, triumphs, miracles, teachings, death, burial, and resurrection. He desired to more deeply ground Theophilus and other Gentile believers in the faith of Jesus Christ, and to draw unbelievers to saving faith. He also strove to refute the idea that Christianity was merely a subversive, political sect (see Pilate’s conclusions in Luke 23:4, 14, 22).

Monday: The Word in the Beginning — John 1:1-5
This is clearly one of the clearest statements

Primary Text: Luke 1:5-38

Memory Verse: “And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:16-17

Introduction:
The father and mother of John the Baptist were sinners as all are, and were justified and saved in the same way as others; but they were eminent for piety and integrity. They had no

Sunday: John’s Birth Foretold — Luke 1:5-25
Zechariah’s response to this announcement was one of hesitation and doubt. “And Zacharias said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years’” (v. 18). Zechariah’s doubt was based on his understanding of nature! He had failed to take God into account! How often we hesitate to believe for the same reason? Answer my prayer? “Well, the way things normally work out…” How wonderful that our God is not restricted to the usual, or bound by the merely natural. Our

Primary Text: Luke 2:1-20

Memory Verse: Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12

Introduction:
Jesus’ birth was dated by Luke as falling in the reign of Caesar Augustus, who was officially made the ruler of the Roman Empire