Who Do You Say I Am (2022)

WHO DO YOU
SAY I AM?

“WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?”
Table of Contents
Part 1
Part 2
Jesus Brings Grace & Truth (John 1)
Jesus Says You Must Be Born Again (John 3)
Jesus Offers Abundant Life (John 4)
Jesus Brings Freedom From Sin (John 8)
Jesus Is Worth It (John 12)
Jesus Is The True King (John 19)
Jesus Rose Again (John 20)
6
10
14
18
22
26
30
The goal of this evangelistic series is to help unsaved students
know and understand who Jesus is so they can decide to follow
Him. It will also provide great basic follow-up for new believers to
learn more about Jesus and what it means to follow Him. Finally, it will
challenge Christians to live all out for Christ and to invite their unsaved
friends to join them for the series.
2 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

How to Use This Series
Each lesson has the following components:
Hook
2 minutes. The goal of this section is to quickly grab people’s attention.
If you want to use a different introduction feel free, but keep it short.
Most of your time should be spent on the Bible.
The Story is Set
1 minute. This gives a one sentence recap of the previous lesson and
sets the stage for this week’s story.
Main Point
1 minute. Give students the big idea up front so they can think on it
throughout the lesson and remember the main point of this lesson
after they leave.
The Story Unfolds
5-10 minutes. Begin telling the story. Read the whole Bible passage,
or read the first part of it.
The Conflict Begins
4-10 minutes. Every good story has conflict. The stories in the Bible
are no exception. These sections are designed to highlight the things
that keep people from Jesus or at people must consider if they want
to become followers of Jesus.
Decision Point
2-5 minutes. This is your moment to call people to respond! God’s Word
is always calling people to live for the Lord and not for themselves.
As you challenge people to respond, have confidence that it’s God’s
Word speaking through you.
Preview
1 minute. Give them a teaser of next week’s topic. Invite them to come
back and bring friends.
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 3

Discussion
As time allows. Help people learn this content by processing what was
said, sharing their thoughts, and applying it to their lives. If you have
a large group, split people into smaller groups. If you have a shorter
club meeting, use these questions as reflection questions for people
to walk away with instead of a discussion in your meeting itself.
Please note the suggested amounts of time for each section.
They are designed so that you can teach them in 17-25 minutes. We
recommend keeping your teaching to this time frame. If you go much
shorter, they won’t get all the truth from God’s Word they can get. If
you go much longer, you might lose their attention. Here is a way this
can work with a shorter and longer club time.
25 minute club meeting:
Welcome: 4 minutes
• Give a warm friendly welcome .
• Remind everyone why your club exists.
• Share any announcements.
• Say a special welcome to any guests.
Bible lesson: 17 minutes
Closing: 5 minutes
• Offer Bible and gospel booklet as a gift to all guests.
• Preview next week’s topic.
• Invite everyone back next week and ask them to bring friends.
• Ask if anyone has any prayer requests and close in prayer.
45 minute club meeting:
Welcome: 5 minutes
• Give a warm, fun and friendly welcome.
• Remind everyone why your club exists.
• Share any announcements.
• Say a special welcome to any guests.
Bible lesson: 25 minutes
Discussion 10 minutes
Closing: 5 minutes
• Offer Bible and gospel booklet as a gift to all guests.
• Preview next week’s topic.
• Invite everyone back next week and ask them to bring friends.
• Ask if anyone has any prayer requests and close in prayer.
4 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Final notes for teaching this series:
1. Be confident in God’s Word. Remember these truths from the
Bible about the Bible:
• “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints
and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the
heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
• “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not
return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
• “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of
Christ” (Romans 10:17).
• So, when you read the Bible passage, read it like it is the most
important part of your club meeting. Read it loud and clear like it
is the very Word of God. Trust God to use His Word in the hearts
of everyone in the room. Consider having a student read it who is
not teaching and have them prepare in advance so they can read
it for all it’s worth.
2. Ask God to empower you by the Holy Spirit to teach and preach
this passage with boldness.
• The gospel is a message to proclaim. The Apostles proclaimed
the salvation found only in Jesus. In Acts 4, we see the way their
boldness was a witness to all. “Now when they saw the boldness
of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated,
common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that
they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
• When they faced opposition, they asked God for strength to
continue speaking the “word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29). May
God answer your prayers the same way He answered theirs.
“When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered
together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts
4:31).
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 5

JESUS BRINGS GRACE
AND TRUTH
JOHN 1
Hook
Welcome to our series about Jesus that we are calling, “Who do you
say I am?” We believe the story about Jesus is the greatest story ever
told. And we believe Jesus is the greatest figure in human history.
Jesus one day asked His disciples, “Who do you say I am?” This is
the most important question anyone has ever asked in all of human
history.
If Jesus is who He said He is then He is God, the creator of the universe,
who became a man, lived a perfect life, died for our sins and rose
from the dead. He is the one who offers to be your savior and mine.
And He is worth following for all our lives. So, welcome, we’re glad
you’re here!
6 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

The Story is Set
The book of John was written by one of Jesus’ 12 disciples who
followed Him for three years. He heard Jesus teach and saw Jesus do
mighty miracles. He witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. He
wrote this book so that we too can believe in Jesus and have life in
His name.
Main Point: Jesus brings grace & truth.
Read the Passage
Read John 1:1-18
The Story Unfolds
We see some big claims about who Jesus is.
• He is the Word of God who is God Himself (v.1).
• He is the maker of everything (v. 3).
• He has life in Himself (v. 4).
• He is the light shining in darkness (v.4-5).
• He offers us a place in the family of God (v. 12).
• He became a man & showed us the glory of God (v. 14).
• He brings grace & truth (v. 16-17).
The story about Jesus is that Jesus is God who made the world and
became a man to save us from our sin. He came to bring grace and
truth. These are big and beautiful claims about Jesus.
Bonus Content
It’s not just Christians who believe Jesus is someone special. Most
people today believe He was a great moral teacher. And even world
dictators have found something unique and compelling about Jesus.
The great French conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Alexander,
Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did
we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded
his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of
WHO
men
DO
would
YOU
die
SAY
for him.”
I AM 7

Knowing that Jesus is God gives us hope that we can know God. He
did not leave us alone to figure it all out on our own but came to our
world and lived among us. Jesus showed us the glory of God. That
means we can know God, who He is and what He is like. And Jesus is
better than anything this world can offer.
Knowing that Jesus brings light and life gives hope for our lives. Our
world is dark. People do so much evil. Our world is so confused.
People act like wrong is right and right is wrong. Our world is full of
death. Someday, we will all die. But Jesus brings light to show us what
is good and true and to give life that lasts forever.
Knowing that Jesus brings grace gives peace beyond imagination.
This world will tear you down. One wrong move can get you smeared
on social media forever and your friends can disown you. Even though
we have all sinned against Jesus, Jesus came to bring grace and offer
us a place in God’s family as His sons and daughters.
The Conflict Begins
With news this good, why doesn’t everyone believe in Jesus? The Bible
teaches us there is a fundamental conflict in the world between
people and God.
The world did not receive its maker. John tells us in v. 10-11. “He was in
the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not
know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive
him.” What a terrible thing to not recognize and receive the God who
made you! Some people could not see that Jesus was God. And some
did not want to see.
Jesus said that some people “loved the darkness rather than the light
because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things
hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should
be exposed.” (John 3:19-20).
So many people live their life today as they see fit. They don’t want
anyone, even God, telling them they are wrong. And so they stay far
away from Jesus. But other people are drawn to Jesus for this very
8 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

eason. They know they are sinners but they long for the grace and
forgiveness found only in Jesus Christ.
John tells us that people who believe in Jesus and receive Him as
their God and their savior become children of God. They have peace
with God and fellowship with Him. They can talk to Him in prayer and
know He hears them. They have God as their Father who loves them,
provides for them, and is preparing a home for them in Heaven to be
with Him forever.
Decision Point
So, John says, we all have a decision to make. Stay away from Jesus
because we’re afraid of the light and having our sin exposed. Or
believe in Jesus and experience the truth and grace He freely offers.
If you do not yet know Jesus, we invite you to join us for the rest of this
series. Come and see for yourself who this man is who claims to be
God and offers grace and truth.
If you do know Jesus, bring others with you next week so they can see
who Jesus is.
Preview
Come join us next week. We will read about a man who met Jesus
and learned it was not enough to be a good person. Later we’ll meet
a woman who learned Jesus brings abundant life. We’ll meet a man
who sentenced Jesus to death and a man who saw Jesus come back
to life! And you can decide what you will do with Jesus who is calling
to you saying, “Follow me.”
Discussion
• What about Jesus intrigues you?
• Is there anything about Jesus that makes you skeptical?
• Someone once said, “If Christianity isn’t true, it’s a story you wish
were true.” What do you think of that quote? Is there a part of this
story that you at least wish were true?
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 9

JESUS SAYS YOU MUST
BE BORN AGAIN
Hook
JOHN 3
Let’s take a quick survey. Agree or disagree with the following:
• “I think I am a pretty good person.”
• “I have a sense inside me that makes me feel some things are right
and some things are wrong.”
• “I often ignore that sense and do things I feel are wrong.”
• “I believe Jesus was a good moral teacher.”
The Story is Set
Last week we saw that the Bible teaches Jesus is the Son of God
who made all things and calls us to follow Him. Today we meet a man
named Nicodemus who was an important religious leader. Jesus had
started doing miracles and the religious leaders were upset.
Main Point
In our story today, Jesus says we must be born again. We will meet a
man who misses Jesus’ true identity because he does not understand
his own deepest problem and the solution Jesus brings.
10 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Read the Passage
John 3:1-17
The Story Unfolds
• Nicodemus was a Pharisee. He was an important religious leader
- someone people thought of as a really good guy.
• He was also a ruler of the people. He had power and prestige.
• He comes to Jesus at night. Why does he come at night? Is he
afraid that people will know that he is talking to Jesus? Is he
trying to trap Jesus into saying something big about Himself that
would get Him in trouble?
• He calls Jesus a good teacher from God.
The Conflict Begins
Jesus says it’s not enough to say He is a teacher. Jesus teaches two
key truths about Himself.
1. Jesus says He came to bring new life. In v. 3 He says, “Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the
kingdom of God.” Nicodemus has no idea what this means. In v.
6 Jesus explains, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that
which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.”
• We are all born sinners. And there is no amount of good deeds,
religion, or virtue signaling that can save us. We need to be born
again by the Spirit of God. We need His life in our hearts.
• Nicodemus finds this hard to believe. “How can these things be?”
he asks (v. 9). Jesus reminds Nicodemus that he should believe
what Jesus is telling Him because Jesus comes from above. “Truly,
truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness
to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony” (v.
11). Nicodemus says he believes Jesus is a great teacher but has a
hard time receiving Jesus’ teaching.
2. Jesus explains that He came to give His life for our sin. We are
all dying of our sins and deserve God’s punishment. Romans 3:23
says, “For the wages of sin is death.”
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 11

• Jesus uses an example from the Old Testament about a man
named Moses. The people of Israel had rebelled against God.
One day, God sent a plague of snakes on the people. God didn’t
do this to be cruel but to turn their hearts to Him and warn them
of His eternal judgment if they didn’t repent.
• God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it high on a
pole. If people would only look up at the bronze serpent, they
would be saved. Many people did and survived, but others refused
and died.
Jesus is clear: He came to give His life to save us. He says in v. 16
and 17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in
order that the world might be saved through him.”
Jesus is also clear: If we do not believe in Him, we will face God’s
judgment. He says, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but
whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not
believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Decision Point
• Will you be born again? Will you listen to Jesus about who He
is? Many people today want to call Jesus a good teacher but do
not listen to His teaching about who He is or what He came to do.
• Will you believe in Jesus by asking for forgiveness for your sins and
turning to follow Him?
Preview
Next week we will meet a woman who learned that Jesus offers us
abundant life.
12 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Discussion
• Jesus says in v. 19-20, “The light has come into the world, and
people loved the darkness rather than the light because their
works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the
light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be
exposed.” What do you think of that?
• Jesus is one of the most respected people in human history, but
many people don’t believe what He teaches about who He is. Why
do you think that is?
• Is there anything that would keep you from looking to Jesus today
to be saved?
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 13

JESUS OFFERS
ABUNDANT LIFE
JOHN 4
Hook
“I can’t get no satisfaction. I can’t get no satisfaction. ‘Cause I try,
and I try, and I try, and I try. I can’t get no… satisfaction.” Mick Jagger
wrote these words in 1965 for world famous rock band The Rolling
Stones.
Why is it that people who seem to have it all together tell us they can’t
find the most basic thing we all want in life – satisfaction? And if you
can’t find satisfaction in living the dream, having fame, fortune, sex,
drugs, where can you find it? We are here today because we believe
you can find that in knowing Jesus today.
The Story is Set
Last week, we met a man who learned that it was not enough to
be a good person. He needed to be born again. Today we meet a
woman who, through her sin and social pressures, is alienated from
her community. She meets Jesus at a well where she is drawing water
all alone in the middle of the day. It is an encounter that changes her
life and it is message can change yours today.
Main Point
We will see in our passage today that Jesus is the savior of the world
who alone can give us satisfaction.
Read the Passage
John 4:5-19, 25-26, 28-30, 40-42
14 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

The Story Unfolds
Jesus engages the woman by asking her for a drink. She pushes back
on Jesus saying, “You’re a Jew. I’m a Samaritan. Our people do not
talk with each other.”
Jesus continues to engage her saying in verse 10, “If you knew the gift
of God and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would
have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” In saying
this Jesus tells the woman three powerful truths:
1. God has an incredible gift to give.
2. God’s gift is living water through knowing Jesus.
3. God will give you this gift of living water if you ask Him.
Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
The woman thinks it sounds too good to be true! She says the well
is too deep and He has no bucket to draw water with. The woman
challenges Jesus’ claim about His ability and identity. She asks if Jesus
thinks He is better than Jacob who made this well. Jacob was the
father of the people of Israel. This would be like asking an American,
“Do you think you’re better than George Washington?”
Jesus highlights the difference between Himself and everything else.
People who drink this water will be thirsty again. What Jesus said
about this water is true about everything in this world. Water is good,
but you get thirsty again real soon. Food is good, but you get hungry
again. Pleasure is nice, but it leaves you wanting more and never
satisfied.
You can search the world and find people who are not satisfied with
things of this world. C.S. Lewis once said, “If I find in myself desires
which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is
that I was made for another world.”
This sounds so good that the woman finally asks Jesus for some of this
water. And that’s where things get even more interesting.
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 15

The Conflict Begins
Jesus highlights the woman’s sin and broken life. Jesus tells her to go
and come back with her husband. He did this knowing the mess the
woman’s life had become. He knew that she had had five husbands
and that she was now living with a man who was not her husband. This
is why she was going to the well at noon all alone rather than in the
cool of morning with the women of the town. Her life is a mess. She’s
ashamed and cut off from the community.
How will the woman respond? Will she be insulted and lash out at
Him? Will she run away in shame and hide? How would you respond
if Jesus spoke with you about your deepest sin and broken life? To
experience the living water Jesus offers, you have to confess your sin.
The woman responds with joy knowing Jesus is someone unique. She
thinks He is a prophet. She must have been astonished that Jesus
knew her sin and still offered her living water. She mentions that she
is waiting for the Messiah, who is called Christ, to come. When he
comes he will tell us everything we need to know about everything.
Jesus says He is the Messiah. He is the long-awaited savior and the
one we are all looking for.
The woman and the town consider Jesus’ claim and believe. The
woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the
people, “Come see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be
the Christ?” The town people were so intrigued they asked Jesus to
stay and talk with them too. After two days they decided that Jesus is
the real deal. They exclaimed, “We have heard for ourselves, and we
know that this is indeed the Savior of the world!”
Decision Point
Do you want to live for things that do not satisfy or for God who does
satisfy? God offers you something far better. (Read Isaiah 55:1-3 if
time allows).
16 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Will you confess your sin to Jesus? Jesus knows everything you and
I have ever done. He knows all our sin - every evil thing we’ve ever
thought, said and done. We can run from Him in shame. We can
choose to be offended that He says that we have sinned. Or we can
run to Him and find in Him salvation from our sin and satisfaction for
our souls.
Will you decide to follow Jesus? Maybe like the woman in this story
you are intrigued but not yet sure Jesus is the real deal. That’s great.
Come back next week. Or maybe you are like the townspeople who
are ready to believe.
Preview
Next week we will meet a woman who learns that Jesus brings freedom
from sin.
Discussion
• What do you think of Jesus’ claim that nothing in this world can
satisfy our souls?
• What do you think about Jesus’ claim to be God’s gift to us and to
be the savior of the world?
• Why would knowing Jesus be enough to satisfy you forever?
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 17

JESUS OFFERS
FREEDOM FROM SIN
Hook
JOHN 8:1-12, 31-36
Sometimes getting what we want doesn’t get us what we want. They
say that in some parts of the world people hunt monkeys by cutting
a hole in a coconut and filling it with food. The hole is big enough
for the monkey to fit his hand in the hole and grab the food. But the
hole is small enough that he cannot pull hand out while he is holding
the food in his fist. He got what he wants, but now he is trapped and
about to die.
The Story is Set
Last week we met a woman who learned that Jesus offers living water
because He alone can satisfy our souls. Today we meet a woman who
was caught in the act of adultery and was facing the judgment for
her sins.
Main Point:
Jesus gives freedom from sin and forgiveness for those who repent
and believe in Him.
18 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Read the Passage
John 8:1-12
The Story Unfolds
Imagine for a moment being this woman. She must have felt:
• Shame & Guilt: She was caught in the act of adultery. She was
likely a married woman who was cheating on her husband with
another woman’s husband. She had promised to remain faithful to
one man, but broke her vow and with a man who was breaking his
vow to his wife too. Sin can seem fun for the time, but eventually
it leaves people empty, alone and ashamed.
• Intimidated: She was brought into the temple and placed right
in the middle of all the religious leaders.
• Afraid: They were talking about executing her on the spot by
stoning her to death. She knew the Law that the penalty for
adultery was death (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22-24).
The Conflict Begins
The people are testing Jesus to see how He will respond. We can tell
the religious leaders are not handling the situation correctly. The Law
required the woman and man both be put to death, but they only
brought the woman forward to be condemned.
Still, they put Jesus in a dilemma. If He lets her off the hook, He is
undermining the Law. If He condemns her, how is He bringing grace?
“Let the one without sin cast the first stone.” The Law required the
person who witnessed the offense to be the first person to cast a
stone. Jesus adds a requirement in this instance. Let the one without
sin throw the first stone. One by one they all walked away. This does
not mean they all walked away believing what she did was right, but
they realized they were not qualified to sentence her to death in light
of Jesus’ standard. Christians are people who know that if God gave
us what we deserve, we would all be dead.
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 19

Jesus is the only one who is without sin. He is God. He is perfect,
righteous, and completely holy. We all stand before Him as guilty
sinners worthy of His judgment. And He is fully qualified to sentence
us to the penalty we deserve for our sins. So, how will Jesus respond
to this woman?
“Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” Imagine
the woman’s sense of relief in this moment! When Jesus forgives you,
no one else can condemn you (See Romans 8:33-34). You are forgiven!
This does not mean that Jesus approves of her action or that she
can live however she wants. He calls it sin and commands her to sin
no more. Here we see Jesus full of “grace and truth” (John 1:14). He
speaks the truth about her sin but graciously offers her forgiveness
and freedom if she will repent and believe.
Decision Point
Read John 8:31-36. How will you respond to Jesus?
Maybe you are like the religious leaders. You are testing Jesus. You’re
playing games with Him. And when you are confronted with the truth,
you feel ashamed but then you walk away from Him. Don’t test Him or
walk away. Run to Him, confess your sins and ask Him to forgive you.
Maybe you’re like the woman before she met Jesus and are living a
life full of sin, even sexual sin. There is no sin Jesus is not willing or able
to forgive. But you do have to choose to follow Him or follow sin.
Teaching Note: For some of you, these next two paragraphs might be
intimidating to say when so many people in the world think otherwise.
Ask yourself before you give this section: Do you really believe that the
truth of Christ will set us free? If yes, speak these truths with boldness
and love. The devil is lying to people about these realities everyday,
let’s not let him win. If no, talk to your parents, call your pastor, or
Decision Point coach and ask for prayer and help. You are not alone.
20 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Jesus says that those who sin are slaves to sin, but if we know the truth
it will set you free. The world is lying to you about sex, sexuality and
gender identity in a way that can kill you. The world tells you:
• Pursuing sexual pleasure will bring you happiness.
• Follow your heart.
• You can be whoever you want to be.
• Your identity is based on your sexual preferences or inclinations.
Jesus says this way leads to death. The Bible teaches that:
• The Bible says sex can bring great joy, but only when enjoyed
God’s way.
• Our heart is sinful and deceitful. We want things that are wrong,
and we can get fooled by our desires into doing things that are
bad for us.
• We were created by God and need to live in light of the way He
made us.
• We can find our true identity when we experience freedom and
forgiveness from Jesus and become children of God.
Choose today the blessing of following Jesus! What a wonderful
offer He is making to you today. He is ready to forgive you, set you
free and make you a child of God. Come to Him today by confessing
your sin. Ask Him to be your savior and Lord.
Preview
Come back next week: we will see that Jesus is worth it!
Discussion
Jesus shows four ways that following Him is better than staying in our
sin. We can...
• Walk in the light and not walk in the dark (v. 12).
• Have life and not die in your sins (v. 24).
• Know the truth and not live a lie (v. 32).
• Be set free and not stay a slave to sin (v. 35-36).
What ways do you think the world is lying to you about sin? Why does
sinning make you a slave of sin and lead to death?
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM 21

JESUS IS WORTH IT ALL
Hook
JOHN 12:1-8
How many of you have someone you love enough to sacrifice a great
fortune just to show them your love? How many of you have someone
who loves you enough to die for you?
The Story is Set
Last week we met a woman who was offered forgiveness and freedom
from her sin if she would turn to Jesus. Today, we meet a woman who
believed Jesus is worth it all because He was about to give His all for
her.
John 11 is about a man named Lazarus who died. His sisters Mary
and Martha were heartbroken. Then Jesus showed up. He comforted
Martha and Mary saying, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever
believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Then Jesus
brought Lazarus back to life! Some people didn’t like this and set out
to kill Jesus. This was part of Jesus’ plan because Jesus came to give
His life for us.
With gratitude for what Jesus had done for them, and with anticipation
for what He was about to do for them, Mary and Martha host a dinner
in Jesus’ honor.
22 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Main Point
In our story today, Mary shows us that she believes Jesus is worthy of
all her devotion.
Read the Passage
John 12:1-4
The Story Unfolds
Mary shows her love by anointing Jesus in an extravagant way. The
Bible says, “Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made
from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet
with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”
Let’s unpack this.
She brings a gift that is genuine: “pure nard.” Nard, is an extremely
fragrant essential oil from a plant grown in the Himalayas. Because
it was so rare and expensive, it was often diluted or mixed with other
cheaper oils. But Mary’s gift was the real deal, not mixed with cheaper
oils. Mary brought Jesus authentic worship.
She gives Jesus an excessive amount: “a pound.” Have you ever
used more than a few sprays of perfume or cologne? A Roman pound
was about 12 ounces. So, this would be like using a soda can full of
perfume! The house was filled with the fragrance.
She gives Jesus something costly: an “expensive ointment.” The
story says it could have been sold for 300 denarii. A denarius was
what a regular worker could make in a day. So, this was worth nearly
a year’s salary!
She anointed the feet of Jesus. Anointing someone showed them
great honor. People would anoint the bodies of loved ones who died
to prepare them for burial. They would also anoint someone to set
them apart for a high office like prophet, priest, or king. People were
usually anointed with oil on their head, but Mary went a step further
and anointed Jesus’ feet!
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She then wiped his feet with her hair. Mary doesn’t stop there.
She is not content to use a towel, but lets down her own hair to wipe
Jesus’ feet.
The Conflict Begins
Read John 12:5-11.
Judas Iscariot watched this and was upset. He was one of Jesus’s
disciples but he was about to betray Jesus.
Judas acts like he cares about the poor but really cares only about
himself. (Read v. 5-6.)
Judas is full of pride. He doesn’t like the attention going to Jesus.
Decision Point
The story shows us that there are two ways to live. You can either live
for yourself or you can live for Jesus. You can be like Mary or Judas.
Living for yourself. You can be like Judas. He loved himself more
than God. He couldn’t stand watching Jesus get the praise. And he
hated watching money “wasted” on Jesus that he could have taken
for himself.
The world tells you this way is better. “You do you.” “Let it go.” “Follow
your heart.” This way does not satisfy but ends in misery. See how
Judas is cranky while Mary has found true joy?
The problem with living for yourself is eventually you will end up living
for someone else. You serve the agenda of this world. But the world
will use you to get what it wants then spit you out, just like it did Judas.
In a few short days, the world leaders talked Judas into betraying
Jesus for more money. Soon after, Judas took his own life.
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Living for Jesus. Jesus says Mary made the right choice. He is worthy
of the love and devotion Mary has shown Him. After all, Jesus had
brought her brother back to life. He promised resurrection to all who
believe in Him. And He was about to die for her sin. Someone like that
is worthy of it all. Live for the one who died for you.
Living for Jesus means we have to admit that we are sinners who need
Him to be our Savior. It requires sacrifice and looks crazy to people
around you. But Jesus is worth it!
Not Yet Followers of Jesus: Don’t let pride keep you from Jesus. You
can decide today to follow Christ, to accept His gift of salvation. Or
come back next week to learn more.
Followers of Jesus: Jesus is worthy of all love and service. You can
show that this week by inviting friends to join us next week.
Preview
Next week we’re looking at what it means that Jesus died for us. We’ll
meet a Roman ruler who was powerful enough to sentence Jesus to
death but had to decide if Jesus really was the true king.
Discussion
• Why does Mary decide Jesus is worth this much devotion?
• What do you think of Mary’s decision?
• Is there anything that keeps you from deciding to follow Jesus with
your whole heart?
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JESUS IS THE TRUE KING
WHO GIVES HIS LIFE
Hook
Have any of you ever had someone die for you? What would you say
to someone who was about to die to save your life?
The Story is Set
JOHN 18:28-19:22
Last week we saw that Mary believed that Jesus is worth all of her
devotion. This week, we’ll find out that the religious leaders are plotting
to kill Jesus. In fact, because they can’t execute him themselves,
they come up with an elaborate plot to get him killed by the Roman
governor Pilate.
Main Point
Jesus is the true king who gives His life for our sins.
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Read the Passage
John 18:28-36
The Story Unfolds
We see a few important things about the people, about Jesus
and about Pilate.
The people:
• Their hypocrisy: The religious leaders do not want to defile
themselves while they are crucifying the Son of God!
• Their blindness: They are preparing to eat the Passover, a
religious ceremony that Jesus came to fulfill. On the first Passover,
God told the Jews to kill a lamb and put its blood on their door
frame. When the Angel of Death came to Egypt where they were
slaves, He would pass over any house that was marked by the
blood of the Lamb. In John 1, we are told Jesus is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world. Here Jesus is about to die as
the true Lamb of God on Passover, but they cannot see it.
Jesus:
• Jesus’ innocence: Pilate asks what accusation they bring. All
they can say is, “If He were not guilty, would we have put Him on
trial?” They would be laughed out of any court today.
• Jesus’ plan: The Jews put people to death by stoning. But Jesus
had promised that He would be lifted up to die, so He had to be
executed by the Romans who used crucifixion. Jesus is King and in
control of His own trial.
Pilate:
• Pilate asks, “What is truth?” Pilate was the most powerful man in
that region. He was trained by Rome. And he does not know
what truth is. This is like our world today. You can be trained by
the top schools in the world and can be a government ruler and
not know what is true. Jesus had already told His followers, “I am
the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:16). Here truth in the flesh
is standing before Pilate and Pilate cannot see it.
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The Conflict Begins
Read 18:38-19:22.
Pilate knows there is something powerful about Jesus but gives into
the mob rather than follow Him. He said that he found no fault in
Jesus. When he heard that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, he
was very afraid. But he gave into peer pressure and let other people
keep him from Jesus.
The people trade their true King for a robber and dictator. Pilate
offered to let Jesus go, but they asked for a robber to be released
instead. Pilate told them Jesus was their king, but they said Caesar, a
dictator who had conquered their country, was their only king. If we
do not follow Jesus, we are left with robbers and dictators. Sin and
the devil steal our joy, our hearts, and our lives.
Jesus paid a great price for you and me. He was forced to wear a
crown of thorns and dressed up like a king, then mocked and beaten.
He was whipped, likely with a whip that had several leather chords
with lead balls woven into it. He was likely whipped 40 times. He
carried His own cross and was crucified between two thieves. He had
power and authority to stop it all, but He did it for you and me. We
deserve God’s judgment for our sin. The penalty of our sin is death.
But Jesus died in our place so that we can be forgiven and be set
free.
Preview
Next week we are going to see that Jesus rose from the dead. We
invite you to come back, but we also want to invite you right now
today to trust in Christ as your Lord and Savior.
28 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Decision Point
Followers of Jesus: Never forget what Jesus did for you. Let’s tell
others and bring them to our final week of this series next week. And
let’s live for Him. He died so that we can be forgiven of our sin, not
continue in it.
Not Yet Followers of Jesus: Will you accept Jesus’s gift for you?
He died to forgive you of your sins. You have to turn to Him, confess
your sins and allow Him to be King of your life. You can turn to Christ
right now through prayer. Would you pray with me now? You can talk
to Jesus now with a simple prayer that might be something like this,
“Dear Jesus. Thank you for dying for my sins. I’m sorry for all the wrong
that I have done. I want to live for you and I accept you as my savior
and my king. Please come into my life and make me the person you
want me to be.” If that prayer expresses the desire of your heart, let
me invite you to pray that right now.
Discussion
• What does it mean to you that Jesus died for your sin?
• Did you decide today to become a follower of Jesus?
• Is there anything that would keep you from accepting Jesus?
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JESUS ROSE AGAIN
Hook
JOHN 20
We are going to look at the most important claim of all of human
history, that Jesus rose again. If it’s not true, there’s no point in being a
Christian. But if it is true – and it really is! – it’s the most important fact
in human history that can help you believe in Jesus and have peace
with God.
The Story is Set
Last week we met a man named Pilate who followed the crowd rather
than follow Jesus. He even gave the order for Jesus to be crucified.
But this was all part of Jesus’s plan to give His life for our sins. Today,
we jump into the story after Jesus has been buried in a tomb.
Main Point
Jesus’ resurrection helps us believe that He is the Son of God so that
we can be forgiven, made new and have peace with God.
Read the Passage
Read v. 1 and highlight 4 things.
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The story starts on “the first day of the week.” Jesus’ body was crucified
on Friday and in the grave on Saturday. But on that Sunday morning,
a new day dawned and the world began again.
The first character we meet is Mary Magdalene. Mary was there when
they crucified Jesus (John 18:25) and when they buried Him (Mark
15:47). The Bible tells us she had been demon possessed until Jesus
cast out seven demons and healed her (Luke 8:2-3). If Mary can be
reborn, so can you and me.
She came to the “tomb early, while it was still dark.” This
darkness reminds us of:
• The evil of the world that crucified the Son of God (John 13:30).
• The hopelessness of the world. If Jesus is still dead, there is no
salvation for our sin and no defeat of death.
• The darkness of our world today, and our own lives, without Jesus’
light to show us the truth and the way to God.
• “The stone had been taken away.” The stone that was used to seal
Jesus in the tomb was gone.
The Conflict Begins
Where have they taken His body? Read v. 2-5 and highlight
Mary is bothered. She thinks someone took Jesus’s body and does not
know where they have laid Him.
Peter and the other disciple, John, run to see the truth. If Jesus rose
again, it changes everything. They don’t wait or sit around. They hurry
to find the truth for themselves.
The other disciple arrives first, sees Jesus’s burial cloths, but does not
go into the tomb.
Read v. 6-10. Peter went inside the tomb to see for himself. He and
the other disciple saw and believed Jesus had risen and was the Son
of God.
This story gives us four reasons to believe that Jesus rose again.
1. The tomb was empty. Did someone steal the body? The tomb was
sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers.
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2. Jesus’s burial cloths were left behind. Clearly Jesus’s body was
not stolen away. Who would steal a body and remove the burial
clothes then fold the laundry before making their get-away?
3. Mary encounters Jesus immediately after this story. She saw him
face to face, spoke with Him and had no reason to lie. It’s not the
kind of story you would just make up.
4. Jesus’s disciples saw Jesus alive after He died. They told the
world so at an enormous cost to themselves. Peter and John who
discovered the empty tomb preached to thousands of people just
weeks later saying that Jesus rose again. They were put in jail for
it. Peter was killed for preaching that Jesus rose again. John lived
to long old age and never recanted his story.
How do we know that we can trust the disciples’ message? They had
nothing to gain and everything to lose. They have no motive to lie.
Some are willing to die for the truth but no one is willing to die for a
lie.
If they were lying, you’d expect someone to crack and confess.
Teaching note: Share a brief testimony of how Jesus has transformed
your life, or have another leader share their testimony.
Decision Point
Followers of Jesus: We can have confidence in the truth of our faith.
And no matter what trials we face, we have hope because Jesus
defeated sin, death and the devil when He rose again.
Not Yet Followers of Jesus: Will you accept Jesus’s gift for you? He
died to forgive you of your sins. You just have to turn to Him, confess
your sins and allow Him to be King of your life. You can turn to Christ
right now through prayer. Would you pray with me now? I’d like to
share with you how you can accept Jesus to be your savior. You can
talk to Jesus now with a simple prayer that might be something like
this, “Dear Jesus. Thank you for dying for my sins. I’m sorry for all the
wrong that I have done. I want to live for you and I accept you as my
savior and my king. Please come into my life and make me the person
you want me to be.” If that prayer expresses the desire of your heart,
let me invite you to pray that right now.
32 WHO DO YOU SAY I AM

Preview
Announce your next outreach or club meeting.
Bonus Content
Chuck Colson was special counsel to President Richard Nixon who
went to prison for his part in the Watergate scandal. While in prison,
Colson became a Christian. He said this, “I know the resurrection is a
fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified
they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed
that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten,
tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that
if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in
the world-and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling
me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.”
The Apostles won many converts to their message, including unlikely
converts like Paul. Paul did not believe in Jesus and even killed
Christians for preaching about Jesus. But one day Paul saw Jesus and
he too began preaching throughout the world that Jesus rose again.
Paul was beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked and killed for his faith.
They experienced a transformed life. Jesus shows up and meets them
later in this chapter and says, “Peace be with you.” Before that, they
were afraid. They fled when Jesus was arrested. Peter denied him
when Jesus was on trial. And only John even bothered to show up
when Jesus was crucified. But just weeks later they were as bold as
lions. And when they were persecuted, put on trial, and put in prison
they were filled with joy and the peace of God.
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