Date: March 17, 2024
The Identity of Jesus
The Point: Jesus invites us to identify with Him.
Get Into the Study
Share the following before asking question #1.
Some Instagram users discovered that an auto-translation feature was not working accurately. Not only was it a bad translation, it created a dangerous situation. A specific combination of the word “Palestinian,” a flag emoji, and an Arabic phrase did not produce the desired output, which was unknown to those users who were putting it in their social media bio.
Instead of the intended message of “thanking God,” it translated the phrase to “terrorist.” Without knowledge, many people who thought they were posting reverently were communicating a very different message. As people viewed their profile in another language, they were reading a very different description.
Meta fixed the issue and attempted to apologize, but it was a scary ordeal for many. It also raised significant concerns about the reliability of auto-translation features via the Internet. While it raised suspicion for some, they promised that there was no political agenda in the glitch.
If you are on social media, you probably feel the pressure of knowing what to say for your short bio. Can you imagine if what you thought you were communicating was a completely different message?
If you did not have to fear translation issues, what elements would be in your bio? What are some ways you would like to introduce yourself?
https://www.turnto23.com/meta-apologizes-after-auto-translation-adds-terrorist-to-profiles
Get Into the Study [Option from Adult Leader Guide]
Play a video clip of someone introducing themselves in an interesting way. Then ask Question #1.
Get Into the Study [Option from the Advanced Bible Study Teacher Guide]
Use these Rorschach images as directed in the Optional Idea (p. 20).
Study the Bible
Read this story before asking question #3.
Bassist Jon Locker recently broke a world record many of us have never considered attempting. To celebrate the opening of an entertainment venue, he played his bass through a record of 81 amps simultaneously. As if one of his amps was not loud enough, this difficult configuration created a literal wall of sound. Before the event, his biggest concern was if he could play focused with that much sound around him. He had to play consistently for five minutes straight to reach his goal and break the previous record of a guitarist who played through only 50 amps at one time.
Locker completed the feat in the Val Air Ballroom, located in West Des Moines, Iowa. He not only showcased his skills but the impressive acoustics of the new venue. Those in attendance could not only hear it but feel it.
Can you imagine what it must have been like to have that much potential to get your sound out? What if, instead of an amp, it was a microphone? What if you had that type of potential to get one message out about Jesus so that everyone could hear it? Would you use it? How would you use it?
If you had such an amplification, what are some ways you would like to describe Jesus to others?
https://www.ksbw.com/article/iowa-guinness-world-record-bassist-amps-jon-locker/46979963
Travis Agnew is a disciple of Jesus, husband to Amanda, dad to the Agnew 3, and Lead Pastor or Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. He loves writing about faith and family at travisagnew.org.
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- What words would someone use to describe your identity?
- What are some of the most important ways you identify yourself?
- When have you experienced a case of mistaken identity?
- Who do people sometimes say you look like?
- If you’ve worn a piece of clothing to identify with a group or person, what was it, and what did it mean to you?
Luke 9:18-19
- What are some of the ways you’ve heard our culture wrongly describe Jesus?
- What are some of the different identities people assign to Jesus today?
- What are some common misconceptions about Jesus in our world?
- Why do you think people have so many misunderstandings about Jesus?
Luke 9:20-22
- How would you describe Peter’s response to Jesus?
- What are some ways you describe Jesus to others?
- What is the connection between Jesus’s identity and His death and resurrection?
- Why isn’t it enough to just believe Jesus’ life was that of a good guy and an important teacher?
- How is Jesus’ death and resurrection the key for understanding His identity properly?
Luke 9:23-26
- What does it look like to take up a cross daily?
- What does it look like to follow Jesus?
- What did it look like when you were focused on gaining the world?
- When has denying yourself actually led to joy in your life?
- How do we practically take up our cross daily?
- How does the focus on daily sacrifice help our understanding of discipleship?
- How does today’s culture challenge the wisdom of living as Jesus described?
- Why are self-denial and taking up one’s cross necessary for following Jesus?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
Balancing the Abundant Life with Dying
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
Help, please. Can someone explain the meaning of a sentence on page 45 of PSG Senior Adults? “Though the symbol of the cross is replete in our day, it was not so for these first disciples.” What does the writer mean by “replete”? Thank you.
The word “replete” means to be well filled. The symbol of the cross is full of significance and meaning for us today, but for those first disciples, the cross was seen simply as a horrific form of execution.
Bible Studies for Life helps me so much as a teacher of Sunday School. Thank you for making this available!
Pat in Montgomery, AL
I am also having an issue with the “big words” that are being used in our lessons. I spend hours preparing to teach the weekly lesson and find it annoying to have to continually look up words that could otherwise be presented in everyday language.
With that being said, thank you for providing multiple resources that go with our weekly lessons.
I use this website every week as a compliment to my Adult Daily Discipleship Guide Leader edition. I mainly use it for the “additional questions” that are offered for discussion. Thank you SO MUCH for the extra helps provided here.
This podcast was one of your best. Enlightening insights into some difficult scriptural concepts.