If you’re short on prep time or just looking for some extra guidance, our weekly Leader Training is designed to help you lead your students through the week’s lesson.
This is the Leader Training for Session 11 of our Winter 2023 study of the Gospel of John, chapters 1–11 (suggested use date: February 12, 2023).
You can also download this week’s leader training in PDF format here.
Session 11: Truth Revealed
Key Text: John 9:1-7,24-41
Central Truth:
Today’s text features a man who had spent his entire life blind—that is, until he encountered Jesus. But like all of Jesus’s miracles, this was about more than bodily healing. The man gained more than just physical sight—he gained spiritual sight! Meanwhile, the religious onlookers clung to spiritual blindness, choosing darkness rather than looking to the Light of the world. Jesus reveals truth to those who seek Him.
Key Question:
How does the man’s response reflect the gospel? Why do you think his response in verse 25 has become a classic Christian saying?
Sometimes we think believing in and following Jesus is a complicated thing. But narratives like this remind us how beautifully simple it can be to place your trust in the One who has rescued you. When we are lacking faith, we can remember that we were once dead in our sins but are now alive in Jesus.
Keep in Mind:
— Much of today’s content deals with personal testimony. The once-blind man obviously had a powerful testimony, but many of your students may not have a dramatic “before and after” story. This might be discouraging for them, but remind them that Jesus’s transformations are not always splashy! Invite them to look closely at how walking with Jesus has impacted them. Perhaps they were once prone to offer insincere niceness but now tend to exude genuine kindness. Perhaps they were able to forgive someone who deeply hurt them. It’s all a miracle!
— The man had experienced rejection from religious people, and that can be hard to grapple with, especially if students have experienced that same thing. Show them how Jesus continued to draw near to the man. We can also remember that although the religious crowd didn’t accept this man’s testimony, offering it increased his faith, and that matters! A person’s receptivity to God isn’t up to us—that is between them and God. You may take a minute to consider how you want to steward this content if any of your students are physically blind or have blind family members. How can you honor them and invite their perspective?
Application:
How can the blind man’s powerful but simple testimony help you share what Jesus has done for you?
The Win:
FOR THE STUDENT: The once-blind man’s testimony can inform how students share their testimony. It doesn’t have to be complicated—it can just be sharing what Jesus has done for us.
FOR THE LEADER: Help students see what God has done for them. It will likely not seem as dramatic as blindness to sight, but salvation and sanctification are always beautiful miracles.
Additional Helps:
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Listen to the weekly Lifeway Student Ministry Podcast for fresh perspectives on student ministry in today’s world. Hosted by Ben Trueblood, Director of Student Ministry at Lifeway, and produced by Nathan Howard, Project Coordinator for Lifeway Students.
Read our guide to creating a safer, more engaging environment for online Bible study.
Watch replays of our webinars for group leaders and teachers, hosted by Ken Braddy, Lifeway’s Director of Sunday School. These webinars are designed to help leaders build their confidence, strengthen their groups, and enhance their Bible studies.