Dear Friends,

We’ve prayed that this week you have had opportunities to serve children, whether in your family, neighborhood, or community.   We are especially excited that some of you are willing to adjust your life to serve kids at TFBC.   Be sure to pray for Vacation Bible School and Kid’s Camp.  Both events are coming up soon!  There are still opportunities for you to join the team and become one of the Heroes.

This Sunday is Father’s Day!  Remember to honor the men in your life. Together we will look at the relationship that Jesus had with His Father.  Jesus took all his instructions in serving from the Father.

Jesus gave them this answer:

“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.  John 1:19

Plan on being in worship and small group so that you will grow more intimate with the Father.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Mike

Read John 5:1-24

1. Our relationship with our earthly father may or may not bring good memories, but fathers can have an impact on our lives. Talk about your father:
What was he like?
What kind of impact does he or did he have in your life?
In what ways are you like your father?
In what ways are you different?

2. What would the ideal earthly father be like?

3. In what way is Jesus’ relationship with his Father an example for us in our families?

4. What pleases God more? Which is easier?
a. Loving people and showing mercy and grace to people in need,
OR following a strict list of man-made rules and regulations?
b. Forgiving and loving those who have caused us hurt and pain,
OR making sure that people pay the price for the things they have done to cause us pain and grief?
c. Celebrating God’s work among us,
OR condemning those who break the rules?

Read John 5:1-24
1. John gives very specific information about where the pool of Bethesda was located and what it looked like.   What specific details does John include?

2. What does the fact that Jesus was at the pool talking with an invalid tell you about the priorities of Jesus?

3. What do you know about the invalid man who Jesus found laying by the pool?

4. What did Jesus ask the man?
How did the man answer Jesus’ question?
Do you think the man really wanted to be healed?
If the man did want to be healed, how would his healing affect his life?
What kind of changes would he have to make as a result of being healed?
Do you know people who do not want to be healed or make difficult changes in their life?

5. What three commands does Jesus give this man as he heals him?
Did the invalid man have a choice in the healing?
What day of the week does this healing take place?
What is the reaction of the “Jews” who are in the temple when they see this invalid of 38 years walking about?
How would you have reacted?

6. When the “Jews” confront the man and remind him that he is breaking the law, what is his reaction?
Does the man even know who had healed him?
Is this surprising or startling to you?

7. When Jesus sees the man in the Temple, what does he say to the man?
Does Jesus indicate that the man’s infirmity was a result of sin?
Is there something that is worse than living with a disease or infirmity?
When the healing takes place, does the man respond with belief in Jesus, or thank Jesus, or praise to God?
How does the man respond when he learns that Jesus is the one who had healed him?

8. When the man was healed, did the temple authorities (Jews) respond with a celebration for the miracle that had been performed?
How do the “Jews” respond to the miracle?
Did Jesus actually break the Sabbath law?
What does the Old Testament teach about the Sabbath? Read Exodus 210:8-11; 31:12-17; Leviticus 23:3; Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
What did Jesus teach about the Sabbath? (Mark 2:27-28)
Did the Jewish religious leaders appreciate Jesus’ teaching about the Sabbath?

9. Were the religious leaders of the first century more concerned with legalistic rule-keeping or seeing the work of God accomplished?
Can this be a danger for us in the 21 century?

10. Besides breaking the Sabbath by healing a man, what claim did Jesus make in
verse 17, that caused the Jews to want to kill him?
(Verse 18) What two things did Jesus do that infuriated the Jews?
Did Jesus have any right to do or say these things? Why or why not?

11. What does Jesus say about his ability to work independently from the Father? (Verses 19 & 30)
What does this claim from Jesus communicate about the relationship that Jesus has with his Father?

12. What claim does Jesus make about his ability to give life? (Verses 21, 25-26)
What does the Old Testament teach about where life comes from?
Read Genesis 1:20-27 and 1 Samuel 2:6.
What does the Gospel of John communicate about Jesus’ ability to give life?
Read John 4:13-14; 10:10; 11:15-26.
In what way does this claim of Jesus help you understand who Jesus really is and what he came into our world to accomplish?
Do people in our world need to hear about the life that is available to them through Jesus?

Challenge #1:  What are some ways that you as a small group can effectively communicate this message to people that you interact with each day

Challenge #2: This week look for opportunities to celebrate the work of God as it shows up in your life (family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.).
Don’t miss out on what God is doing because of a focus on man-made rules and ideas about what God can and can’t do.

Action: Pray that God would lead you to invite someone who needs to know the love of Jesus to come to Vacation Bible School.  Remember there is also an adult class.

Pray together as a group!
Pray that you would be used by God to help someone answer the question, “Do you want to get well?”
Offer up prayers of gratitude and thankfulness for what God has done for you through Jesus Christ