Spring Quarter 2023
Jesus Pleases His Father
By His Works
March 5 Jesus’ Baptism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark 1:4-13
March 12 Overcoming Temptation with the Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew 4:1-14a
March 19 Doing the Father’s Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 5:19-29
By His Sacrifice
March 26 Submitting to the Father’s Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matthew 26:36-50
April 2 Crucified for Sinners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matthew 27:38-54
April 9 Risen from the Dead! (Easter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 20:1-10, 19-20
April 16 Proofs of the Resurrection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luke 24:36-53
By His Teachings
April 23 The Bread of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John 6:22-35
April 30 The Light of the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John 8:12-20; 12:44-46
May 7 The Good Shepherd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John 10:7-18
May 14 The Resurrection and the Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 11:17-27
May 21 The True Vine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 15:1-17
May 28 Jesus Prays for Believers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John 17:6-21
This quarter is titled “Jesus Pleases His Father,” and it gives us a fascinating glimpse into the manifold ways Jesus did that perfectly during His life and ministry on earth. Going through these lessons should challenge us to follow Him in pleasing the Father as well.
Our first unit begins with a lesson that takes us to Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. It was there that the Father unambiguously announced His full approval of all that Jesus said, did, and thought: “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).
Lesson 2 shows us how Jesus successfully met this challenge we all face: being tempted by Satan. In His use of God’s Word to repel the tempter, He left us the best example we could hope for. Lesson 3 underscores how Jesus always followed His Father’s example in all things (John 5:19).
Our second unit focuses specifically on the great sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf—His ultimate reason for coming. Lesson 4 shows us that this sacrifice was the hardest thing that any human has ever had to bear. Jesus quailed before it but resolved to see it through. Lesson 5, covering the crucifixion itself, brings us to the ultimate in love ever displayed for unworthy sinners.
Lesson 6, by contrast, brings us to Easter and Jesus’ triumphant resurrection. The resurrection was the Father’s ultimate stamp of approval on Jesus’ life and sacrifice (cf. Rom. 1:4). Lesson 7 shows us Jesus’ care for His disciples in remaining with them long enough to see that they were prepared for the mission ahead of them.
Our final unit turns our attention to Jesus’ teachings. We often do not consider how greatly Jesus pleased His Father by accurately presenting the truth to His hearers. In lessons 8 through 12, we focus on Jesus’ proclamation of Himself as the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, and the True Vine. We could spend years on these truths and never plumb their depths.
In our final lesson, we are allowed into the hallowed chamber of Jesus’ prayer life—specifically His prayer to the Father on our behalf. There we learn how much we are on His heart and how greatly He desires us to be one with Him, with the Father, and with one another.