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?

In this sermon, Simon Pranaitis explores 1 Peter 2:21 and how Jesus' example of suffering provides a pattern for believers to follow in their trials. Pranaitis explains that just as Jesus endured unjust treatment and hostility without sinning, Christians are called to bear up under suffering while entrusting themselves to God patiently. By studying Jesus' fully human life and example of suffering, believers can find encouragement and guidance for handling life's difficulties in a way that honors God.

Applications

1. What are the ways in which you are currently suffering or have suffered in the past?
2. How do these sufferings compare to the sufferings that Christ experienced in His life?
3. Discuss your sufferings with other believers, and rather than complaining, talk about the ways in which sufferings enhanced your sanctification.
4. When you encounter new suffering, immediately pray that God would help you endure like Jesus and follow His example for bearing up righteously.
5. Refuse to accuse God of injustice and rather remember that suffering is a sign of His love toward you as sons/daughters.
6. Read the Gospels regularly and remind yourself that Jesus lived a fully authentic human life more like your own than you could ever imagine.

The book of Hebrews counsels us to come to God for grace in times of need through the ministry of Jesus, our great High Priest, who can sympathize with us in our weaknesses. But, was he really tested in all things as we are? Is His humanity genuine? When tested, how did He respond? Examining the Gospel account of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness helps us answer these questions. It directs us toward how we should learn to pursue obedience through Jesus in the power of the Spirit.

Application Questions

• Have you meditated on the reality that Jesus experienced the fullness of human frailty?
• When you experience times of trial or testing, do you see them as God’s gift to you as a means to draw you closer to Himself through Christ?
• Do you believe that Jesus can have genuine compassion for you in your trials?
• Do you fight temptation with Scripture? What is preventing you from doing so?
• Do you trust God enough to allow His timing to reign in your circumstances?
• Are you tempted to take matters into your own hands rather than trusting in God to provide during times of difficulty?

The Gospel accounts of Jesus' response to John's call to be baptized alongside His Jewish countrymen highlight His faithful obedience to the word of God through the power of the Spirit. In His baptism, we see God the Father's approval of His faithfulness and the provision of the Holy Spirit to prepare Him for His ministry of gospel proclamation. Meditating on these episodes motivates us to entrust ourselves to the power of the Spirit to obey His Word.

Application Questions

• When you hear God’s Word, do you have a firm resolve to obey it?
• Are you aware of the Spirit at work within you to strengthen you to obey God’s Word consistently?
• Are you waiting expectantly for the next step in God’s plan to bring righteousness to earth through His kingdom?
• How well do you know the Old Testament? What is your plan for becoming more familiar with it?
• When was the last time you consciously decided to walk in obedience to God? How did you discern when and how to act?
• In what ways are you living your life dependent upon the Spirit? In what ways can you grow in your relationship and dependence upon Him?

In Isaiah 42 and 49, the first two "Servant Songs," we see two primary goals of Jesus as the Messiah that motivate and encourage Him to overcome difficulties. Jesus' mission involved overcoming obstacles to bring God’s justice and salvation to the nations. Jesus' strength and perseverance were rooted in the Spirit, enabling Him to confront injustice without despair and bring the light of salvation to Israel and the world.

Application Questions

• In what areas of your life are you encountering injustice? How are you responding?
• What encouragement can you gain from meditating on how Jesus the Messiah encountered the opposition He faced?
• Why do you think justice is important to the Spirit of God?
• When you grow weary, do you find strength in the gospel?
• Are you struggling with despair or depression? Will you bring your burdens to a Suffering Servant who knows how to minister to you in your weakness?
• Will you recommit yourself to the mission of Jesus – the proclamation of His glorious gospel of salvation?

The relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit reveals how being full of the Spirit enabled Christ's earthly ministry. Through Isaiah's prophecies, we see how being full of the Spirit equipped Jesus with divine wisdom, understanding, and counsel. This Spirit-empowered life demonstrated God's personal nature and commitment to dwell among His people, ultimately fulfilling ancient promises through the incarnation.

Application Questions:

• When you sin, do you look to the grace of God our Savior through the gift of the Son by the Spirit?
• Have you meditated on your personal relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit?
• Is your theology of the baby Jesus big enough to include His role as the Davidic Messiah?
• If you are joined with Christ through salvation, does your prayer life reflect the priority of establishing His kingdom?
• Do you read the Old Testament and, specifically, the prophets regularly? If not, why?
• Are you united by faith with Jesus and therefore able to access the power of the Spirit in His life?
• This Christmas season, will you commit to slowing down and refreshing yourself anew with time with God as you ponder the magnificence of the Incarnation?