Groundwork: Biblical Foundations for Life

When we pray, “Your kingdom come…on earth as in heaven,” we demonstrate our trust in what we cannot see. We cannot fully see God’s kingdom around us yet, but our prayer is also our calling to reflect God’s reign in our daily lives. His kingdom is already here, and by studying Scripture, we discover what it means to live faithfully in the kingdom now.

Jesus often used parables to teach his followers about the kingdom of God. His stories and analogies sometimes confused his followers, but Jesus patiently but urgently described what God’s kingdom looks like, what its values are, and how the people of his kingdom should behave. Jesus’ kingdom parables still reveal aspects of God’s kingdom and point the way for his people today.

When Jesus declared that God’s kingdom was near, his life embodied that truth. In our study of Jesus’ teachings, we’ll discover what it means for the kingdom to show up in real time through healing, justice, and welcome. We’ll talk about how God’s kingdom continues to come near in Jesus today, and how he calls us to participate in his kingdom here and now.

The concept of God’s kingdom is woven throughout the Bible. Jesus and the apostles taught and preached about the kingdom of God. Kingdom language arcs through the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, defining what God’s kingdom is, what it looks like, and the kind of King we have in Jesus. Studying God’s kingdom helps us recognize our place in it today.

Amidst all of his judgment in Hosea, God reveals the tender ache of a father’s heart and gives the prophet powerful images of restoration for his people. Let’s study these messages together and discuss how this ancient prophecy still calls us back to God's heart and to restoration.

Through much of Hosea, the prophet speaks directly against Israel’s spiritual betrayal. Chapter after chapter, God accuses Israel of idolatry, rampant injustice, and misplaced trust. We learn the consequences of their blatant rebellion. We also witness his longing for his people as he pleads for them to remember all he had done for them, to repent of their sins, and to return to him. Hosea’s prophetic message for Israel is a reflection of God’s heart. Together, we’ll discuss what we can learn from Israel’s story about our own hearts today.

God called the prophet Hosea to bring a message to his people, Israel. He wanted them to know they had strayed from their relationship with him; their pride and arrogance in following other gods were the causes of all their troubles. God famously instructed Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman and used his marriage to Gomer as a symbol of all that was wrong with Israel in their relationship with God. Yet, though his judgment was harsh, God offered Israel hope and restoration. Studying the prophetic relationship of Hosea and Gomer invites us as his people today into an honest reflection on our own relationship with God and our need for his grace.

Jesus often taught in parables, simple stories that illustrated a spiritual truth. Some of Jesus’ most famous parables are unique to the Gospel of Luke. In what we call the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus describes for his followers who would be their neighbor and what it means to be a good neighbor. Telling the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector, he focuses on the condition of the heart and salvation by grace. Jesus’ parables highlight a major theme in Luke: our call to discipleship. Throughout the book, we repeatedly find the invitation to follow Jesus Christ. Together, let’s discover what Jesus teaches about the attitudes and hearts of his followers and discuss honestly what it costs to prioritize Jesus in our lives.

As Christians, we celebrate God’s victory through Jesus Christ in worship every week. But in story after story in Luke, Jesus extends healing and victory to outsiders, individuals who experienced suffering, rejection, and isolation in the Jewish community. Join us as we study the recurring theme of God's victory for us and for all who are marginalized or far off, and think about what this means for how we live our faith today.

Jubilee and joy are featured frequently in Luke’s gospel. People are constantly rejoicing. Why? Because they encountered Jesus and salvation. Trace the themes of jubilee and joy in the gospel of Luke with us. Together we’ll study Jesus’ parables and the famous story of Zacchaeus to recognize the importance of these themes, how they connect to and continue the tradition of the Old Testament’s Year of Jubilee, and what this means for how we faithfully respond to our own encounters with Jesus and salvation today.

Prayer and dependence on God are the heartbeat of the Gospel of Luke. As we read about Jesus’ baptism, the start of his ministry, and his teaching of the Lord’s Prayer, Luke shows us how Jesus modeled a robust and intentional prayer life. Learn how following Jesus draws us into deeper intimacy with the Father, why prayer is key to a resilient faith, and what it means to be people of prayer.

The stories of Jesus’ life and teachings recorded in the Book of Luke highlight recurring themes of economic justice and Jesus as a prophet in the tradition of the Old Testament prophets. Together, let’s explore how Jesus’ teachings about justice continue God’s emphasis on justice in the Old Testament. Let’s discuss what Luke still teaches us today about how and when we should care for justice as Christians.

Like Matthew, Mark, and John, the gospel of Luke was written to bring people to faith in Jesus Christ. Together, let’s examine the author, audience, and background of Luke to better understand its unique and valuable perspective on Jesus. We’ll also observe the central role of the Holy Spirit throughout Luke’s gospel and discuss the impact of a Spirit-empowered life on our discipleship today.

Each year, Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter. The impact of the resurrection is so profound that each of the four gospels tells the story. The details vary, but each account clearly announces that Jesus Christ is risen! As we study the gospel stories of Jesus’ victory over death, we’re invited to participate in telling Christ’s story again and again.

Many events formative to our Christian faith occurred in the last week of Jesus’ life. On Palm Sunday, we remember how he entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey to shouts of “Hosanna!” from a crowd that did not understand who he was or what he was doing. On Maundy Thursday, Jesus and his disciples sat down for a traditional Passover meal that broke tradition: Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and gave a new command, “Love one another” (John 13:34). That night, Judas betrayed Jesus, leading to Good Friday, the day Jesus endured trials and beatings, and ultimately, died on the cross. Finally, we reach Holy Saturday. For the disciples, it was a day of sabbath and sorrow; for us, it is a day of introspection, meditation, and anticipation. As we journey through Holy Week together, we create space for God’s Word to nurture our faith and deepen our gratitude for God’s great love and Jesus’ profound sacrifice.

As Jesus journeyed nearer the cross, he urgently taught the disciples about who he was, why he had come, and his mission from the Father. Over and over in the gospels, we witness a repeated rhythm of Jesus' teaching and the disciples' misunderstanding or resistance. We are not immune to falling into this rhythm ourselves. But, as we journey to the cross with Jesus during Lent, listening to him and studying his teaching provides the understanding we need to learn what it means to be humble and watchful servants waiting for the day when Jesus will return.

The gospels of Mark and Luke both tell us that Jesus tried to prepare his disciples for his death. He wanted them to know what type of Savior he would be, but the disciples had difficulty understanding and even argued with him. The season of Lent invites us into somber reflection on Jesus’ death and sacrifice on the cross. Let’s discuss the biblical sources that Lent is based on, and then we’ll study and reflect on Jesus’ words to the disciples as he turns his face to the cross. Together, we’ll see how they are an invitation to follow him in faith, sacrifice, and hope for us.

As the apostle Paul continued to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, crowds became increasingly contentious, and he was once again arrested and beaten. During the long series of trials that eventually led him to Rome, Paul seized every opportunity to share his testimony and preach the gospel. As we study Paul’s journey to Rome, we too can gain confidence and readiness to share the good news of Jesus everywhere we go.

Not long after completing his second missionary journey, the apostle Paul left Antioch again to start his third missionary journey. Luke records the events of this trip in Acts chapters 18-21. This journey was marked by faith, courage, and love. Paul spent four to five years revisiting many of the cities where he had planted churches on his previous journeys, teaching, strengthening, and encouraging the believers. By studying Paul’s incredible third journey, with all its challenges, opportunities, and heartbreaking goodbyes, we learn how to live with the same bold trust and purpose in our own lives.

On his second missionary journey, Paul carried the message of salvation and resurrection of the dead through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit led him to more than a dozen cities over the course of the four-year journey. Everywhere he went, Paul convinced Jews and Gentiles alike of the gospel message. But his work also stirred up opposition. Paul suffered ridicule, imprisonment, and physical harm as he shared the good news of Jesus. Paul’s preaching and encouragement recorded in Acts 15-18, provide us with theological clarity for our own efforts to share the gospel and remain faithful to Jesus Christ in all circumstances.