11: The Father, the Son, and the Spirit – Teaching Plan

Key Thought: To understand God, we must look at Jesus and what is revealed in the word. This lesson presents the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
December 14, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read John 7:16, 8:38, 14:10,23

Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
What do these texts teach us about the relationship between Jesus and the Father?
Personal Application: How would your life be changed if your thoughts and actions were a full expression of God’s will for you?” Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of your relatives states, “How do we know God? Is it knowing about Him? Is it having a relationship with Him? How does that work? How do we get to know a Spirit; a God that man has never seen; Jesus who lived 2,000 years ago and is in heaven?.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read John 1:10-13.

Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
What does this tell us about the importance of the Holy Spirit for conversion?
Personal Application: If the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment; how can we be sure we are not resisting that conviction? Why is once-saved, always saved a deterrent to the convicting power of the Spirit? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of your friends states, “What does the Holy Spirit do? Does He make us feel good? Give us wisdom and strength? Show us our sins? Give us power and gifts? I think some people have a misunderstanding of the Spirit’s role in their lives.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read John 17:1-26.

Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
What words or phrases express the desire of Jesus for a close relationship between Himself and His disciples?
Personal Application: How can we better reflect the love of God in our own lives? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “How are we supposed to live in the world and yet not be influenced by the world? Should we try to isolate ourselves from the world like the monks, or the Essenes, or John the Baptist in the wilderness?.” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Genesis 3:7-9.

Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
How does this reveal the breach that sin caused? What does it mean that God was seeking them out, and not they seeking Him out?
Personal Application: Have you ever felt frustrated or discouraged when you didn’t understand or comprehend what some passage in the Bible said? How did you deal with that situation? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).