Lesson: Who Was this Jesus Dude?

• One marker

• One sheet of paper for each member of your group

• Transparent tape

Procedure

Before your group arrives, write down the name of a famous person on each sheet of paper. As your group arrives, tape one of the sheets onto each person’s back so that they cannot see who they are. Explain to them that they must find out who they are by asking yes or no questions only. (Am I a male? Am I on TV? Am I old?)

Give everyone time to figure out who they are.

Transition

If you really want to know who someone is, you are going to have to take the time to investigate and ask questions. Let’s take the time right now to get to know each other better by doing a little investigation.

• One index card and one pencil for each group member

Procedure

Pass out the index cards and pencils to your group. Instruct them to number their cards from one to four. Ask the following four questions aloud, and allow your group time to write down the answers. Explain these rules: 1) Do not write down your name on the card, 2) Write down each answer privately so that no one else can see, 3) Be totally truthful on three of the questions, but LIE on one of the questions – just make up a false answer (each member of your group can determine which question to LIE about).

After you have asked the following questions, collect the cards, shuffle them, and pass them back out. Go around the room and ask each person to read the answers to the questions. Allow your group to try and guess who the card belongs to.

• Where were you born?

• What is your mother’s maiden name?

• If you could go anywhere on vacation on summer vacation, where would you choose to go?

• What is your most embarrassing moment?

Transition

By listening to the answers to these questions, we have all gotten to know each other a little better. Now, we are going to do some investigation and get to know Jesus a little better. We’ll ask questions like, "Who is he? What does he want from me?" When we discover the answers to these questions, we will understand more about who this Jesus dude is.

1. Introduction
   
   All of us have things about us that we wish we could change. Sometimes we feel like God either doesn’t exist or doesn’t care because of the problems we face. However, as the following Bible story shows us, Jesus cares a great deal for you. He wants to change your life.
2. Illustration

An atheist teenager walked into a convenience store to get a soda. While she was waiting in line, she noticed that the man in front of her had a really nice jacket on. She said to him, "That’s the nicest looking jacket I’ve ever seen."

The man responded, "You like it?" The girl nodded. Without another word, the man took off the jacket, placed it around the girl’s shoulders and said, "It’s yours." With that, he walked out of the store and drove away.

The girl paid for her soda and slowly walked back to the car where her friends were waiting. As everyone began to make comments about her jacket, she turned to them and simply said, "I believe in God."

That one act of generosity convinced the atheist that God must be real. She reasoned that there must be a God if someone could be so generous.

3. Examination and Discussion

Jesus’ disciples made a common assumption. They thought that if someone had a problem, then he/she must have done something to deserve it. When Jesus and his disciples saw the blind man, Jesus explained that the real reason this man was born blind was not so that he could be miserable all of his life. The reason was so that Jesus could touch his life and make a difference.

• Do bad things that happen ever make you wonder if there really is a God? Share examples.

• How do you think God might actually be using these things to help you believe in Him?

4. Application

1. Introduction

• What excuses or questions could the blind man have expressed before doing what Jesus asked?

• How do you think the blind man felt when he washed his eyes and could see?

• What excuses or questions do you express before doing what God asks you to do?

• How has God touched your life or spoken to you recently?

4. Application

1. Introduction
   
   Sometimes obstacles can block your view of Jesus and create doubts. When people make fun of you, or when you cannot see Jesus in front of you, or when you don’t know all of the answers, you might begin to doubt. Jesus wants you to believe in him in spite of the obstacles.
2. Illustration
   
   A man was walking a tightrope across Niagara Falls. A crowd gathered and cheered the man on. The man faced the crowd and said, "How many of you think that I can push this empty wheelbarrow across Niagara Falls on the tightrope?" The crowd cheered wildly in support. The man successfully pushed the wheelbarrow across the falls and back. Then, the man said, "How many of you think I can push a wheelbarrow full of bricks across Niagara Falls?" The crowd went crazy, encouraging the man to try. As expected, the man successfully pushed the wheelbarrow full of bricks across Niagara Falls and back. Finally, the man turned to the crowd and said, "How many of you think that I can push another person in this wheelbarrow across Niagara Falls?" The people cheered, jumping up and down and screaming to see this feat. The man then said, "Who would like to volunteer?"
   
   The crowd fell deathly silent. Not one person who claimed to believe in the tightrope walker was willing to trust him with his/her own life. This is the difference between saying you believe and believing in spite of the obstacles.

3. Examination and Discussion

• How do you think the blind man felt during his interrogation by the Pharisees?

• What kind of persecution have you experienced?

• What kinds of doubts do you have about Jesus?

• What kinds of questions do you still have that you cannot answer about Jesus?

4. Application

1. Introduction
   
   It is not enough to acknowledge that Jesus existed. Jesus wants you to think of him as much more than a good man or great teacher. He wants you to worship him as your Lord. He wants you to make him the boss of your life. He wants to be the sole reason that you live. He wants to be your God.
2. Illustration
   
   C.S. Lewis said in his book, Mere Christianity, "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

• What are some other ways the blind man could have shown his appreciation to Jesus?

• What are some common misconceptions today about who Jesus is?

• Who do you say that Jesus is?

• How have you worshiped Jesus?

• If you are here today and you have acknowledged Jesus as Lord and God, then make it your goal to know Jesus better. Pray that God would help you overcome the obstacles that you face. Take the time each day to worship Jesus.

• If you are here today and you have not yet acknowledged Jesus as Lord and God, then come and speak with me after we are done, or talk to someone else in your group. All you have to do to accept Jesus as your Lord is do what the blind man did – acknowledge to Jesus that he is Lord. Ask Him to forgive you of your sin and let Him be the boss of your life. (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9-10, 10:13).