In this lesson, we continue our exploration of the Hebrew concept of faith—one that goes far beyond mere intellectual assent to a set of beliefs. Biblical faith is not just believing that something is true; it is a movement of the soul into the living reality of God through Jesus.

One of the more provocative insights in this teaching centers on the Greek genitive case—specifically in passages like Mark 11:22. Most English translations render Jesus’ words as, “Have faith in God.” But the Greek text reads: echō pistin theou—literally, “have faith of God.” The word “God” is in the genitive case, which usually denotes possession.

This raises a powerful question: Whose faith is it? 

If the genitive is taken seriously, then the faith being referenced is God’s faith— not something we muster on our own, but something God possesses and shares with us. This reorients our entire understanding of faith. We are not the source; God is. 

Faith becomes a gift—a relational and reciprocal dynamic. As we turn toward God in trust, He supplies the very faith needed to continue walking with Him.

This deeper reading appears in numerous New Testament passages, though it is often obscured in translation. Join us as we uncover this overlooked dimension of faith and rediscover it as a shared life between us and God.

Lesson Handout: 

Over the centuries, the word faith has accumulated layers of meaning—some helpful, others deeply misleading. In this first of two lessons, we begin to peel back those layers and rediscover what faith meant in the biblical world.

Today, many view faith as blind belief or intellectual agreement with abstract propositions. But in the world of the Bible, faith was far more concrete. Rooted in the Hebrew verb ’aman—from which we get words like amen, truth, steadfast, and established—faith was about trust that leads to action. It was confidence in God’s character, not certainty in theological formulas.

This lesson explores how the modern church’s language around faith has drifted from its biblical foundation, and why returning to the ancient understanding can radically transform our walk with God. We may say we “have faith” in Jesus as Messiah, but do we have the kind of faith that trusts him enough to forgive our enemies, love our neighbors, and walk in the ways that lead to the peace of God?

Join us as we rethink what it really means to have faith—and how that rethinking can shape the way we live.

Lesson Handout: 

Lesson Handout: 

CLICK HERE

​ Join us as we begin to uncover the rich layers behind Jesus’ first miracle and what it meant to those living in a world shaped by both Jewish tradition and Greco-Roman mythology.

Lesson Handout - 

​In this follow-up to our previous lesson on the symbolism of John Chapter 2, we examine the rich cultural and spiritual backdrop of the Wedding at Cana.

What did John mean when he said it was the “third day”? At first glance, this might seem like a small detail, but when viewed through the lens of Jewish wedding traditions, it opens up a powerful layer of meaning that brings the Cana scene to life.

In this lesson, we’ll explore:

​Ultimately, we’ll see how this first “sign” reveals God's transformative power through Jesus, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

👉 Don’t miss this lesson as we uncover the hidden richness behind one of the most beloved stories in the Gospels!

Lesson Handout:

I invite you to join me as we begin our journey through John Chapter 2, a remarkable section of Scripture that contains two profound events: the Wedding at Cana and Jesus cleansing the Temple courts. 

Though seemingly unrelated, these stories are deeply connected—and together, they reveal powerful lessons that still speak to our spiritual journey today.

Throughout this series, we will explore the rich layers of meaning found within John 2:

​Whether you’re familiar with these passages or encountering them for the first time, I believe you’ll find fresh insight that deepens your understanding and renews your trust in God’s work—both in the pages of Scripture and in your own life.

Lesson Handout: 

​When most people think of Jacob, one word often comes to mind: deceiver. We’ve been told he tricked his brother out of his birthright and deceived his father Isaac—but is that really what the text says?

In this lesson, we take a fresh look at the story of Jacob through the lens of the biblical narrative itself. When we slow down and pay close attention to the details, a very different picture begins to emerge—one that challenges traditional assumptions and invites deeper reflection.

Here are just a few of the surprising insights we explore:

​This lesson invites you to read the story of Jacob with fresh eyes and to rediscover what the writer of Genesis may really be telling us.

Multiple Lesson Downloads: 

Main Lesson Plan: Click Here

Reading on Jacob: Click Here

Midrash on Psalm 32:2: Click Here

In this lesson, we explore the rich Hebrew idiom “to sit under a fig tree”—a phrase that, in ancient Jewish culture, came to mean sitting under the teaching of a Rabbi.

But how did a fig tree come to symbolize a Rabbi?

We begin with Proverbs 27:18, which draws a comparison between tending a fig tree and attending to one’s master. In both, the goal is the same: to cultivate fruit.

In Luke 8:24, the disciples refer to Jesus as “Master,” echoing this same dynamic.

The Hebrew Bible often uses trees as metaphors for people—Jesus himself says, “you will know them by their fruits.” This symbolic relationship between humanity and trees is not only poetic—it’s profound.

We'll trace this symbolism further through Psalm 1:3, where the one who meditates (Hebrew hagah) on the Torah is described as a tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season.

In the first century, it was the Rabbis who hagah-ed the Scriptures—ruminating, growling over, and digesting the text in order to pass on insights to their students.

​In this context, the Rabbi becomes like a fig tree, cultivated for the sake of producing fruit in others.

Join us as we uncover the layered beauty of this ancient imagery, and see how sitting under a fig tree becomes a powerful metaphor for discipleship, wisdom, and spiritual nourishment.

Note:  These are the same lesson handouts as Week 21a

In this two-part series, we begin by diving deep into the Hebrew concept of meditation—a practice that is far more active and engaged than what most of us imagine today.

In the modern Western world, "meditation" often conjures images of stillness, silence, and mental detachment—emptying the mind to escape the clutter of thought. But in the Bible, the Hebrew word translated as meditate is "Hagah" (הגה)—a word that paints a very different picture.

"Hagah" doesn’t mean silence or stillness. It means to murmur, to groan, or even to growl—like a lion over its prey. And when the object of that groaning is Scripture, it becomes a powerful metaphor for how we are to engage God’s Word. Biblical meditation is not about detachment—it’s about devotion, delight, and diligent pursuit.

In this lesson, we’ll explore:

- Meditation v. Contemplation through the lens of Spiritual Disciplines. 

- The original meaning and usage of "hagah" in the Hebrew Bible.

- How this word helps us reimagine what it means to "meditate" on God’s Word.

- Why this ancient practice invites us to seek out the treasures in Scripture with focused intensity.

Join us as we reclaim this dynamic practice of meditation—not as a quiet retreat, but as a vocal, physical, and focused pursuit of God’s Word.

👉 Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll explore the ancient comparison between humans and fruit trees—and how this metaphor connects to the spiritual discipline of meditation.

Lesson Handout(s) - for both Part 1 and part 2

Human Beings and Tree Metaphor - 

In this lesson, we explore the rich and multi-layered dialogue between Jesus and Nathanael in John 1:47–51. 

What begins with a curious statement about a man “under the fig tree” ends with a stunning reference to Jacob’s dream—the vision of angels ascending and descending from Genesis 28:10–15. But the connections don’t stop there.

You’ll discover how Jesus quotes Psalm 32:2, a psalm of David, and yet the ancient Rabbinic Midrash on that same verse ties it directly to Jacob, leading to a remarkable overlap of themes. 

Is it a coincidence? Not likely—there are no coincidences in Scripture.

🔍 In this teaching, we explore:

-  The significance of Jesus quoting Psalm 32:2
-  The Rabbinic Midrash that connects that Psalm to Jacob and the angelic ladder
-  Why “sitting under the fig tree” is more than just a casual detail
-  How Proverbs 27:18 (“He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit”) helps us interpret Nathanael’s character
-  The broader symbolism of angels ascending and descending and what it reveals about Jesus

This lesson introduces the passage's kaleidoscope-like depth, with each layer revealing a new, awe-inspiring angle on Jesus’s identity and mission.

Lesson Handout: 

Lesson Handout - click here 

​In today’s lesson, we continue our deep dive into the story of Jesus at the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4). If you haven’t seen the previous teaching, we highly recommend watching that first to catch the full context of today’s discussion. Click here

At the end of the last lesson, we saw how the crowd in the synagogue turned on Jesus in a moment of intense fury—so much so that they tried to throw Him off a cliff. This wasn’t just mob violence; this was an attempted stoning according to the practices of ancient Jewish law.

In this episode, we ask an important question: If God commands the death penalty for certain crimes, and only says "by stoning," then how exactly was that supposed to be carried out?

​What principles guided the process? What safeguards were in place to protect justice and prevent abuse? And how might those principles inform the way we think about justice and the death penalty even today?

But that’s not all. We’ll also explore the psychology of group dynamics. Just a few verses before their rage, the synagogue crowd was speaking well of Jesus. What causes such a rapid shift in group behavior? How does anger spread through a crowd? And more importantly—what warning does this story offer to us as modern church communities?

Join us as we study the Hebrew background behind this dramatic moment and uncover lessons that are just as relevant today as they were in the first century.

Join us in this deep dive as we re-examine a pivotal moment in Luke 4 and uncover hidden layers in the familiar narrative.

In this lesson, we explore three key insights:

1. The Hidden "Ntzer" Connection -

Our modern chapter and verse numbering can obscure important details. Discover how the word Ntzer—meaning "Branch"—appears in Isaiah 60:21 (just before Isaiah 60:1, which Jesus reads).

This verse describes God planting a branch destined to grow into a great and righteous oak, a symbol the people of Nazareth would have recognized, given that their town was named after this very branch.

2. Changing Reactions in the Synagogue -

Initially, the synagogue audience is captivated by Jesus’ words. Luke 4:22 tells us, "All spoke well of him..."—indicating that His early message was well received. Contrary to the common Christian lens that suggests "all Jews rejected Jesus as Messiah," the rejection only emerges when Jesus challenges them further by exposing the disconnect between what they proclaim and how they actually live.

3. The Insult That Shook Nazareth -

Jesus’ rebuke isn’t aimed at their verbal profession of faith but at the gap between their claims and their actions. The Nazarites proclaimed their adherence to God’s ways yet operated contrary to His principles.

When church leaders begin to rely on their own power and control instead of trusting God’s path, corruption sets in. By invoking the history of Elijah and Elisha, Jesus confronts this disconnect, igniting the fury of the crowd (Luke 4:28) and ultimately leading to the dramatic response of driving Him out to be stoned.

Slow down with us to closely observe the flow of conversation in this narrative. Remove your blind spots and re-read Luke 4:16-30 with fresh eyes. Bring your curiosity and questions as we unpack how these interactions reveal deeper truths about faith, expectation, and accountability.

Lesson Handout: 

​In this lesson, we explore the village of Nazareth and the famous question from Nathanael, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" 

Together, we’ll journey through the historical and spiritual context of this seemingly humble village—where the people, passionate about God’s Word and descended from the line of David, embraced a deep Messianic identity.

We’ll dive into how, inspired by Isaiah 11:1, the Galileans of Nazareth coined a special title for their town—one that harkened back to the prophecy of a “shoot” (Hebrew: ntzer) that would rise from the stump of Jesse, the father of King David. 

This Messianic fervor led them to affectionately call their village “shoot-ville” or “branch-town,” symbolizing their anticipation of the promised Messiah.

Join us as we uncover the profound hope and expectation that filled first-century Galilee and how it shaped the people’s view of their town—and the Messiah who would eventually come from it.

Lesson Handout - Click Here or below 

Lesson Scripture Reading