Materials Included
• 5 Sessions of Learner’s Materials
• 5 Sessions of Teaching Materials
• Handouts

Scriptures
1. Matthew 9:9-13
2. Matthew 12:1-8
3. Matthew 14:22-33
4. Matthew 17:1-8
5. Matthew 19:16-26

Brief Description
"Following Jesus" is a five session adult Bible study in the book of Matthew, including learner’s materials, teaching guides, and handouts. The teaching guide is options-based, so teachers can customize sessions to match their favorite approach.

"Following Jesus" helps us see that in Jesus’ day as in ours, many of the expectations of society lead us away from our God. In all of the sessions of this unit, Jesus bids us to follow him against the flow of prevailing trends, and to pay the price. Never taking pride in rebelliousness itself, but earnestly pursuing the will of God, Jesus charts for us a course in which we find our lives by losing them, in which we may learn the blessedness of an uncompromising love. Jesus’ words to Matthew are his words to us: "Follow me." This study follows Matthew's lead in hopes that we might better understand and live out these simple yet challenging words.

Session One begins a unit on a recurring biblical theme, “following Jesus.” Of course, “following Jesus” is the lifelong goal for Christians. What might this concept mean in Matthew 9:9-13? How might Matthew’s notion help us better understand what it means to be a disciple?

Session Two helps us understand how others may express their religious convictions differently than us. In Matthew 12:1-8, Jesus uses Scripture to lead his disciples not away from the Law, but toward its very heart.

Session Three bids us to follow Jesus into dangerous areas, to risk ourselves in service of the Kingdom of God. The account of Jesus walking on the water occurs amidst a number of incidents presented by Matthew to show the contrast between little faith and adequate faith. What sort of risks do you take for the sake of following Jesus?

Session Four recognizes a common theme in the Gospels--the true identity of Jesus on the part of his disciples.

In Session Five, Jesus asks us if riches necessarily get in the way of following Jesus. Here, Jesus asks us again, “Follow me.”

by Brian Austin

User License
The purchaser of this file has permission to print twenty copies of this Learners Study Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.

The purchaser of this file has permission to print one copy of this Teaching Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold, copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.