The Pharisees wanted to stone Jesus and tried to catch Him, but Jesus escaped out of their hands. He went to a region beyond the Jordan River where John used to baptise people and many came there to listen to Jesus teach. During this time, one of His dear friends, named Lazarus, became very ill. Jesus had healed many people, so He could certainly heal his friend too! However, the disciples reminded Jesus it was dangerous to travel back to Judea because the Jews still wanted to kill him. Jesus was not worried about that, but He delayed going to Lazarus for another purpose.
Discuss:
Who were Lazarus’ sisters? Can you think of any other stories in the Bible that talk about them?
Why do you think Jesus waited until Lazarus was already dead before He decided to go to him?
How long had Lazarus been dead when Jesus arrived? Why do you think this was important?
What did Jesus say to Martha about the resurrection? What things do you know about the resurrection?
What was Jesus’ response when Mary came to Him crying? What can we learn about who Jesus is from His reaction?
How did the Pharisees react to Lazarus being raised from the dead? Why did they consider Jesus a threat to their positions?
Memory Challenge:
John 11:25
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CL-feature-image-2-11.png6111651Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-25 13:00:482026-02-26 10:49:08Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: NT Lesson 9 “Lazarus”
Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem did not sit well with the chief priests and elders. Besides, not many days before that, Jesus had resurrected Lazarus from the dead in front of a host of witnesses. Many of the people started to believe that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah, and the religious rulers were determined that He must be stopped. They looked for an opportunity to take Him without the people knowing it, and the opportunity presented itself.
Discuss:
What happened when Jesus and His disciples were at the house of Simon the leper? Why were the disciples upset by this?
What was Judas promised for his betrayal? Where in the Bible is there a prophecy that this would happen?
Where did Jesus and the disciples eat the Passover meal?
How did Jesus tell the disciples to prepare for what was about to happen to Him? How did they respond? What did Jesus say Peter would do?
What did Christ do to prepare for what was about to happen?
Who came to arrest Jesus? How did the Jews know who Jesus was to arrest Him? What did the disciples do?
What crime did the high priest and elders say Jesus had committed? Was Christ guilty of that crime? Why or why not?
Memory Challenge:
Matthew 26:39
“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’”
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CL-feature-image-3-11.png6111651Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-24 10:11:002026-02-26 15:16:54Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: NT Lesson 10 “Passover and Plotting”
After Lazarus had been resurrected, Jesus went up to Jerusalem with His disciples. It was almost time for the Feast of Unleavened Bread to start. Jesus spent lots of time teaching the people at the temple, but the Jewish leaders were very jealous. They didn’t want the people to follow Jesus instead of them, so they began plotting about how they could kill Jesus, and Lazarus. The only problem was, they didn’t know how to catch Him without making themselves look bad in front of the people. One day, a man secretly came to them and told them he would be willing to help them catch Jesus, as long as they would pay him. The Jews were happy they now had a way to carry out their evil plot, for one of Jesus’ own disciples agreed to look for the right moment to betray Him.
Discuss:
What festival was Jesus and His disciples observing when they sat down together to have a meal?
Why did Jesus wash the disciples’ feet? What lessons can we learn from His example?
Who was the disciple that betrayed Jesus? How do you think Jesus knew which one would betray Him?
When Judas left the supper after Jesus gave him bread, why do you think Jesus said “What you do, do quickly”? What did the other disciples think He meant?
After Judas left, what did Jesus tell His disciples? Why do you think He encouraged them to remember to love one another?
How do you think Jesus felt to be betrayed by His friend? What can this story teach us about being a good and loyal friend?
Memory Challenge:
John 13:34
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CL-feature-image-2-11.png6111651Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-24 10:09:002026-02-26 10:48:58Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: NT Lesson 10 “A Disciple’s Betrayal”
Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem did not sit well with the chief priests and elders. Besides, not many days before that, Jesus had resurrected Lazarus from the dead in front of a host of witnesses. Many of the people started to believe that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah, and the religious rulers were determined that He must be stopped. They looked for an opportunity to take Him without the people knowing it, and the opportunity presented itself.
Discuss:
What happened when Jesus and His disciples were at the house of Simon the leper? Why were the disciples upset by this?
What was Judas promised for his betrayal? Where in the Bible is there a prophecy that this would happen?
Where did Jesus and the disciples eat the Passover meal?
How did Jesus tell the disciples to prepare for what was about to happen to Him? How did they respond? What did Jesus say Peter would do?
What did Christ do to prepare for what was about to happen?
Who came to arrest Jesus? How did the Jews know who Jesus was to arrest Him? What did the disciples do?
What crime did the high priest and elders say Jesus had committed? Was Christ guilty of that crime? Why or why not?
Memory Challenge:
Matthew 26:39
“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’”
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CL-feature-image-3-11.png6111651Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-23 15:27:402026-02-26 15:16:42Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: NT Lesson 11 “Taken to Pilate”
After being betrayed, Jesus was taken away and was killed even though He had done nothing wrong. He died for the sins of every person in the world (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus was laid in a tomb, and His disciples were very sad, but God’s plan was not over. Early one morning, after Jesus had been buried for three days, some women came to visit the tomb. They were surprised to see that the stone covering the entrance of the tomb was pushed open. They ran to tell the other disciples to come and see. One of the women named Mary Magdalene began to cry, thinking that someone had stolen Jesus’ body. That was when a man, who she thought was the gardener, began to speak to her.
Discuss:
When did the women come to the tomb?
Who did the women tell first that the tomb was open? What did they do when they heard the news?
Why was the tomb open? Where was Jesus?
Who did Mary see when she looked into the tomb again?
To whom did Christ first appear? Why did Jesus tell Mary not to touch Him?
When did the disciples see Jesus Christ after He was resurrected? What do you think it would have been like to be with the disciples when Jesus appeared?
Memory Challenge:
John 20:31
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CL-feature-image-2-11.png6111651Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-23 15:27:352026-02-26 10:48:41Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: NT Lesson 11 “The Empty Tomb”
Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education Charlotte 2021
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 29 seconds.
Mr. McNair introduced the manager of the Mail Processing Department at Headquarters, an elder in the Charlotte congregation, and a long-time member of God’s Church. “Mr. Gaylyn Bonjour, as you all know, is responsible for all of that major operation that happens downstairs—it’s the heart of the Work.”
“Either good or bad, what happened this year is going to be a memory that you’ll build on all the way through your life.” Mr. Bonjour spoke to the students about planning their futures. At a time when many of the students are making decisions regarding their educations, careers, or even whether to remain in Charlotte, Mr. Bonjour reminded them that their lives would not unfold exactly according to plan. He joked, “I was going to be retired at thirty-five. I’m 77 and I’m still working. Sometimes, as we go through life, all the things that you plan and the direction you that you’re trying to go—it seems to go the other way…”
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry…”
– Robert Burns
“You have your plan, and God has His plan.” In 1971, Mr. Bonjour bought twenty-seven acres in Kingsburg, California on which to plant plum trees and raise a farm. Yet, the timing was not good—many other people had the same idea, and the market was competitive. There was little profit in their endeavor, Mr. Bonjour had to work as a masonry contractor to support the farm. Finally, years later, after his son finished high school, Mr. Bonjour and his wife decided to sell the ranch, and they began managing a mini-storage center. He was eventually ordained and hired by the Church. He said, “We may be frustrated that our plan is not working, but we can be assured His plan is.”
“Remember the time you were here.” Isaiah 46:9-10 reads, “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other… Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand….’” Mr. Bonjour advised the students to use the lessons they learned at Living Ed to seek God early in their lives. He said, “The most precious, tangible thing you have is your time. Every minute you spend is lost. You’re not getting it back.” As he read through Ecclesiastes 3, Mr. Bonjour reminded the students that now is the time for them to seek God, so they will have fewer opportunities to make mistakes in the future. “Every sin committed is a little scar on the brain.”
“Our character is built through adversity.”God allows His people—and their plans—to be tested. Mr. Bonjour explained, “God wants us to be able to stand upright before Him and to reflect Jesus Christ in our lives.” In his first year of being called into the truth, Mr. Bonjour was tested on the Sabbath. His boss needed him to work seven days a week, but Mr. Bonjour refused to do it and was let go. When he registered for the “out of work” list in the Piledrivers Union, his name was dropped to the bottom of the list, because he would not work on Saturday. For a year, he supported his family by working at a junkyard, earning two dollars an hour. “I’ve never been tested on the Sabbath after that.” God is interested in a Christian’s character, not their intelligence or wealth. “When you go through difficulties, you learn and then you can empathize.” Mr. Bonjour explained God uses a “hands-off” approach with His people to see what they will do. But if a Christian does not judge himself—if he fails to align his plan with God’s plan—God will step in and correct it.
“If you’ve got God, you’ve got everything. If you don’t have God, you have nothing.”
Mr. Bonjour concluded, “Looking back, I can see God very gently moved me in a direction where I can benefit not only me and my family but the Church. You don’t always get to go in the direction you want to go. You don’t always get to do the things you want to do. But you trust God, and you know that God is involved in your life.”
“And, as Mr. Armstrong said, ‘I read the book, and, in the end, we win.’”
This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.png00Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-22 15:00:002021-09-03 11:15:31Forum Summary: The Best Laid Plans
Jesus was dead, and now He was alive! He had been resurrected from the dead, which was a wonderful miracle. The disciples were so excited, but now what were they to do? The disciples had been taught by Jesus for three and a half years, but they hadn’t yet understood the full reason of why they had been called. They decided to go back to what they used to do – fishing! One morning, after spending all night trying to catch something, a man appeared on the shore. At first they didn’t recognize Him, but once they did they raced toward the beach to meet Him. They didn’t know yet, but Jesus, the Son of God, was about to give them a purpose and a mission that would change the world.
Discuss:
Why do you think Peter decided to go fishing? Who were some of the disciples that went fishing with Peter?
What did the man on the shore tell the disciples to do? What happened when they listened?
Who was it that recognized the man speaking was actually Jesus? How do you think he knew it was Jesus?
Who made breakfast? What do you think it would be like to eat breakfast with God?
What question did Jesus ask Peter after they had eaten? Who is represented by the lambs and the sheep that Jesus instructed Peter to feed? What was Jesus really telling Peter to do?
Memory Challenge:
John 21:25
“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CL-feature-image-2-11.png6111651Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-22 12:30:002026-02-26 10:48:19Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: NT Lesson 12 “Breakfast with Jesus”
Jesus had died. A man named Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked if he could take Jesus’ body and properly bury Him. Pilate agreed, so Joseph took Him and wrapped the body and put it in a tomb. Even though they had witnessed Jesus’ death, the Jews were not quite satisfied. They remembered that Jesus said “After three days I will rise.” So they asked that the tomb be guarded day and night just in case one of His disciples might try to take Him away. They did not understand that God is the one who has power over life and death and He had a special plan for His own Son.
Discuss:
What does the word resurrect mean?
When did Mary Magdalene and the other women arrive at the tomb? What did the women find when they came to the tomb?
Jesus said He would be in the grave 3 days and 3 nights (the same amount of time that Jonah was in the whale). Since Jesus was put in the tomb on Wednesday evening, counting three days and three nights, when did Christ rise from the dead?
What did the women do when they discovered Christ was not in the grave?
Where did Jesus instruct the disciples to meet Him?
How did the Jewish authorities plan to cover-up the truth about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead?
What final instructions did Jesus give the disciples before He ascended to heaven?
Memory Challenge:
Matthew 28:18-19
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CL-feature-image-3-11.png6111651Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-22 12:30:002026-02-26 15:16:21Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: NT Lesson 12 “The Resurrection”
The focal point of the Pentecostal movement is its emphasis on speaking in tongues, or “glossolalia”—a term derived from the Greek words for “tongue” and “speaking.” But just what does the Bible mean when it mentions speaking in tongues? Is it identical to what happens in the modern charismatic movement?
Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education
Estimated reading time: 7 min., 44 sec.
Did you know that many people of first-century Jerusalem demanded the release of an insurrectionist against the Roman Empire named Barabbas in exchange for the Son of God?
The Four Gospels describe Pilate’s attempt to set Jesus free from the charges brought against Him by the hysterical populace through a customary Passover release of one prisoner. Pilate offered the people the choice of Jesus or Barabbas. Without hesitation, the people chose Barabbas over Jesus. Only days before they had welcomed Jesus riding into Jerusalem with Hosanna (“save, we pray”) (John 12:12-16). This Digging Deeper explores this troubling account to illustrate an important spiritual lesson for Christians.
All four Gospel writers record this incident: Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:17-25; John 18:39-40. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia notes that “Matthew calls him ‘a notable (i.e. notorious) prisoner’ (Matthew 27:16). Mark says that he was ‘bound with them that had made insurrection, men who in the insurrection had committed murder’ (Mark 15:7). Luke states that he was cast into prison ‘for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder’ (Luke 23:19; compare Acts 3:14). John calls him a ‘robber’ or ‘brigand’” (John 18:40) (e-Sword 13.0).
Who was Barabbas?
John Lightfoot in his Commentary on the Gospels records that Barabbas was a common name in the Jewish Talmud (Bible Analyzer 5.4.1.22). The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, edited by Merrill C. Tenney, adds further: “The name Barabbas may simply be a conventional proper name. It is found as the surname of several rabbis” (Zondervan Publishing Company, 1976, p. 472).
The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary, edited by Joseph S. Exell, proposes a derivation of this criminal’s name: “Barabbas.—’Son of Abba,’ i.e. Son of Father (so-and-so). The name would originally be given to one who was the son of some Rabbi who had been known in his locality as Father (so-and-so). Not unlikely Barabbas would thus be a person of respectable parentage, though for long he had gravitated toward the lowest stratum of society (Morison)” (e-Sword 13.0). The respectful title “father” was sometimes applied to mentors and teachers (2 Kings 2:12; 5:13; 6:21; 13:14).
Barabbas’ description as “notable” in Matthew 27:16 means he was distinguished in either great virtues or great crimes; in his case, he was infamous. Daniel Whedon in his Commentary on the Old and New Testaments paints this picture: “As a fierce and brave Jewish patriot, he had become notable or famous among the populace. He was, perhaps, like Robin Hood among the old English, hateful to the government but popular with the masses” (e-Sword 13.0).
No ordinary villian
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 8, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein provides the Greek word used in our Gospels to describe Barabbas as: “…no ordinary villain but a lestes (cf. Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19; John 18:40). Although lestes can refer to a robber (as perhaps in John 10:1), it more probably refers to insurrectionists (cf. 26:55; John 18:40); and Josephus constantly uses it of the Zealots. Neither theft nor violent robbery was a capital offense, but insurrection was. Revolts and bloodshed fostered by guerrilla action were common (cf. Jos. Antiq. XVIII, 3-10 [i. 1], 60-62 [iii. 2]; Luke 13:1), and Barabbas had been caught. In the eyes of many of the people he would not be a ‘notorious’ villain but a hero” (Zondervan, 1984, p. 568-569).
Barabbas may have been a Zealot, as described by The Expositor’s Dictionary of Texts, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll and Jane T. Stoddart: “There was a fierce and defiant Home Rule party in Judea whose unresting aim was to drive the Roman garrison from the Holy Land. Their chosen name was that of Zealots, because of their unquenchable zeal for the restoration of the Jewish Dominion. Out of their ranks came one of Christ’s disciples, Simon Zelotes, whom Jesus taught a wider truth and, a better way than his fiery heart had at first conceived” (Bible Analyzer 5.4.1.22).
The Expository Notes of Dr. [Thomas L.] Constable describes Barabbas: “He was a famous prisoner but not necessarily one that the Jews regarded as an undesirable character. On the contrary, he had evidently been leading an insurrection against the Roman government as a freedom fighter (cf. Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19; John 18:40). His guerrilla actions were fairly common then. [Note: Josephus, Antiquities of . . ., 18:1:1.] Many of the Jews would have viewed Barabbas as a hero rather than as a villain. He was more of a messianic figure, in the minds of most Jews, than Jesus was” (e-Sword 13.0).
Political rebel for the Son of God
The Fourfold Gospel by J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton provides a possible historical background to this insurrection: “Josephus tells us that there had been an insurrection against Pilate’s government about that time caused by his taking money from the temple treasury for the construction of an aqueduct (The Antiquities of the Jews, 18.3.2). This may have been the affair here referred to, for in it many lost their lives” (BP Bible 0.5.3.1).
Insurrection was a serious crime against the state. The New Bible Dictionary, edited by J.D. Douglas notes that Barabbas was: “A bandit (John 18:40), arrested for homicidal political terrorism (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:18+)” (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1965, p. 132). Barabbas was such an insurrectionist, yet Jesus was falsely accused of this crime by the Jews (Luke 23:2). Pilate later realized that Jesus was innocent (Luke 23:22) and that for envy the Jews had accused Him (Matthew 27:18). The chief priests and elders had persuaded the Jerusalem crowd to demand Barabbas’ release and Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:20).
When the overexcited Jews demanded Barabbas’ freedom instead of Jesus’ they preferred the political rebel and nationalist hero over the Son of God. Fausset’s Bible Dictionary explains that Barabbas (son of the father) was a ” … contrast to the true Son of the Father! The Jews asked the murderous taker of life to be given as a favor to them (it being customary to release one prisoner at the passover), and killed the Prince of life (Acts 3:14-15)” (e-Sword 13.0)!
The New Bible Dictionary, edited by J.D. Douglas offers an intriguing spiritual note to this story: “The priests, possibly taking up an initial demand from his [Barabbas’] supporters (cf. Mark 15:8), engineered a movement for his release to counter Pilate’s intended offer of that of Jesus (Matthew 27:20; Mark 15:11) – and Barabbas became an exemplification of the effects of substitutionary atonement” (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1965, p. 132). The College Press Explanatory Notes by Rhoderick D. Ice explains further: “Some have made him a ‘symbol’ of the guilty human race which is set free from punishment by the substitution of the innocent Christ” (e-Sword 13.0).
Barabbas: A type for mankind
This takes our brief study to a deeper level. Barabbas committed treason against the Roman Empire and Pilate the governor. Each of us, in his or her way, has committed high treason against the Governor of the universe by our sins (Romans 3:23). Accordingly, we brought the death penalty down upon our heads (Romans 6:23). We are helpless and hopeless in ourselves to find deliverance from this undesirable fate.
In His love for humankind, God sent His only begotten Son to earth. As part of His preaching, Jesus announced His coming substitutionary death during His earthly ministry (John 12:32). He suffered vicariously for all humanity. His disciples did not understand what He meant. Only after His death, as the apostles and early Church of God began to digest this tragic account did they realize the full spiritual significance of His death (John 12:16). Jesus’ resurrection from the dead confirmed God’s redemptive plan to forgive humanity and instead offer them life – even life forevermore (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Jesus died in our place, as surely as He died in Barabbas’ place (Romans 5:7-8; Galatians 6:14). Each of us deserves the death penalty. Jesus became our substitutionary atonement to release us from our sins and enable us to be reconciled to God with the hopeful prospect of eternal life. In this way, Barabbas was a type of every sinner who has been redeemed by God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We do not know what happened to Barabbas after Jesus was exchanged for him. Nonetheless, Barabbas serves as a type of every sin-laden human who deserves death but through repentance and confession of sin has been released, rescued, and redeemed by the Savior of the world instead.
Kenneth Frank was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and attended Ambassador College, graduating in 1973. He served in the Canadian ministry from 1973-1999, after which he returned to the USA to pastor churches in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina for 15 years. Having earned a BA degree from Ambassador College he later earned a MA degree from Grand Canyon University before being assigned to the Charlotte office to teach at Living University, now Living Education. Currently, he teaches the Survey of the Bible course to the on-campus students and writes the Digging Deeper column for our online Bible study program. He is married, has four children, and seven grandchildren.
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/018-jesus-pilate.jpg360480Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2021-04-21 12:00:002021-09-03 11:23:43Digging Deeper: A Lesson from Barabbas
