Dear Parents,

Hello! I wanted to remind you about the study we’re doing that focuses on helping students remain steady in the face of adversity and encourage them to grow deeper in their relationship with God. This Bible study is called Anchored: Sure and Steadfast, and this week is the first of a three-lesson unit called Jesus: Man, God, or Both? The goal of this unit is to help students look at the humanity and divinity of Jesus, seeing that both are fully present. In this first lesson, we will talk about the claims Christ made about Himself, and what that means for our faith.

Lesson Overview: It may seem like we live in a time when more people are questioning Jesus than ever before. But the truth is, even when Jesus was demonstrating His power as the Son of God during His earthly ministry, the most informed biblical scholars were still denying His claims. The claims that Jesus made about Himself can be believed just as easily as they can be disbelieved. In fact, Scripture shows us that when tried before a court, the only thing that could be proven against Jesus was that He was claiming to be the Son of God. Which, if true, is not a crime! Like all of the witnesses before us, we must listen to what Jesus is saying about Himself and determine if we are sheep in His flock or deniers of His words.

What We Want Your Student To Learn: That Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, and we either believe that He is who He says He is, or we see Him as a liar/crazy person.

What We Want Your Student To Do With What They’ve Learned: Examine what they believe about Jesus’s claims but fail to take at face value.

Scripture Passages We Studied: John 10:22-33, Genesis 3:15, Matthew 26:59-68

Please Take A Few Minutes This Week To Read These Passages.

Next Steps. . .
During the next week, as you engage in conversations with your student, remember that one way that will help them to understand and apply what they have learned is to explain it to someone else. Use the following questions to guide your conversation:

• What was your Anchor Statement for this week? (Answer: I believe that Jesus is the Messiah as He claimed, and that everything else He claimed about Himself is true.)
• Have you ever had a conversation with someone who does not believe the claims of Christ? Was it difficult to share your beliefs with them?
• What is significant about Jesus claiming to be the Messiah?

Thank you for all you do. As a parent, you are the primary spiritual influence in the life of your teenager, and they desperately need you. If you have any questions or if we can help in any way, please call the church office.