Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth twice, and in both instances, His teaching is rejected. This reality demonstrates that despite Jesus' powerful proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom, the minds and hearts of unbelievers will remain closed unless the Holy Spirit regenerates them. Observing Jesus' persistence in preaching the gospel helps us learn how to speak the gospel truth to our friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers and persist if there is a face of rejection.

Application Questions

• Will you imitate Jesus’ example and not give up the proclamation of the good news when our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and unbelieving church attendees do not respond?
• Will you be faithful to proclaim the gospel as proclaimed in Scripture?
• Will you be thankful that God has graciously chosen to remove the scales of unbelief from our minds and hearts?
• Will you have compassion for the unbelievers around us who are lost in unbelief?

The Gospels provide us the opportunity to encounter not only the humanity of Jesus but also the responses to His humanity from those who encountered and joined Him in his early public ministry. As we observe the words and actions of John the Baptist, Jesus' first disciples, and his mother, Mary, as recorded by Luke and John, we see two righteous responses to Jesus' humanity - humble questions and faith-filled expectations. Like these men and women, we can encounter truth and allow it to conform our minds, hearts, and lives to the obedience of Christ through the power of the Spirit.

Application Questions

• Will you believe that Jesus is who He said He was?
• Will you trust God and find your hope solely in Jesus’ righteous life and sacrificial death?
• Will you study the Old and New Testaments and take the Scriptures at face value?
• Will you honestly wrestle with the hard questions?
• When you find the truth, will you change?
• Will you proclaim it to a lost and dying world without shying away from the difficulties?

In his letter to the Philippian church, Paul challenges them to have the same mind as Christ Jesus. How is this possible? This lesson focuses on how Paul commends Christ-like humility as critical to church unity. It points us to Jesus' humanity as the example of humility that believers are to embrace as we battle selfishness and guard the unity of Jesus' body—the church.

Application Questions

1. How highly do you regard the importance of church unity? What are you doing to demonstrate this?
2. What is currently threatening the unity of our body, and how are you guarding against this threat?
3. Will you commit to protecting the unity of the body by choosing to submit joyfully to the authority of Jesus through the elders and their exposition of the Scriptures, even if you disagree in areas of preference and application?
4. Will you commit to reading the Gospels frequently and contemplating how Jesus exemplifies humility?
5. Will you humble your heart by cultivating a consistent prayer life where you confess your sins and where you pray for the needs of others above your own?
6. Will you ask God to give you a genuine love for other believers and help you build up your love muscle by serving others regularly?