1 Samuel 17 - This passage recounts the famous story of David and Goliath. The Philistines and Israelites are at war, and the giant Goliath challenges Israel to send a champion to fight him. David, a young shepherd visiting his brothers at the battlefield, volunteers to faith Goliath despite his youth and inexperience. Rejecting Saul’s armor, David confronts the giant with only a sling and five stones. Trusting God, he strikes Goliath in the forehead with a stone, securing victory of Israel.

Acts 2:22-41 - During his sermon on the day of Pentecost, Peter boldly proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth was accredited by God through miracles, signs, and wonders, yet was handed over to be crucified according to God’s plan. Peter declares that God raised Jesus from the dead, fulfilling prophesy, and exalted him as Lord and Messiah. Convicted by his message, the crowd asks what they must do, and Peter urges them to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. About 3,000 people respond to the message and are added to the early church that day.

Acts 1:15-26 - The followers of Jesus gather together after his return to heaven. Peter stands up among them and explains that they need to choose someone to take the place of Judas as one of the twelve apostles. The new apostle should be someone who was with them the whole time Jesus was teaching and who saw him after he came back to life. They pray and ask God to show them who to choose. Then, by casting lots, they select a man named Matthias to join the apostles.

Acts 1:9-11 - In this passage, Jesus is with his disciples for the last time before he is taken up into the clouds before their eyes. As they are staring into the sky after him, an angel appears and asks them why they are looking at the sky. He then informs them that Jesus will one day return in the same way that he left.

Luke and Acts - This week’s lesson is about how the story of Jesus continues from the Gospel of Luke into the Book of Acts. Luke tells us about Jesus’ life, his teachings, and the amazing things he did — right up to his death, resurrection, and return to heaven. But before Jesus went back to the Father, he gave his followers a special mission: to be his witnesses throughout the whole world, spreading the good news of God’s love and forgiveness that is available to all. The Book of Acts picks up the story, showing how the apostles carried out that mission and how the church began to grow.

John 21 - After his resurrection, Jesus appears again to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee. Several disciples, including Peter, go fishing but catch nothing until Jesus, standing on the shore (though they don’t recognize him yet), tells them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, leading to a miraculous catch. Recognizing Jesus, Peter jumps into the water to reach him. After having breakfast together, Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him, restoring him after his earlier denial and commissioning him to “feed my sheep.”

John 20:1-23 - Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene discovers the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb and runs to tell Peter and another disciple. They race to the tomb and find it empty, with the burial cloths left behind. After they leave, Mary remains outside weeping and then sees two angels in the tomb. Turning around, she encounters Jesus, though she doesn’t recognize him at first. When he says her name, she realizes that it’s him, risen from the dead. Jesus tells her not to cling to him but to go and tell the disciples. Later that evening, Jesus appears to his disciples behind locked doors, offers them peace, shows them his wounds, and breathes on them, saying “Receive the Holy Spirit,” thus commissioning them to continue his mission.

John 12:12-19 - This passage describes Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As Jesus approaches the city, a large crowd gathers, having heard about his miraculous raising of Lazarus. They welcome him by waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord — blessed is the King of Israel!” Fulfilling prophecy, Jesus rides in on a young donkey, a symbol of peace. His disciples don’t fully understand the significance at the time, but later they recognize it as a fulfillment of Scripture. The Pharisees, witnessing the growing support for Jesus, express frustration, remarking that the whole world seems to be following him.

John 18:1-27 - Jesus is arrested after Judas leads soldiers to him in the Garden of Gethsemane. When they come for him, Jesus identifies himself, causing them to fall back. He also stops Peter from violently resisting. Jesus is then taken for questioning while Peter follows from a distance. In the courtyard, Peter denies knowing Jesus three times, just as Jesus foretold, and a rooster crows. Meanwhile, Jesus is questions about his teachings and is struck by an officer before being sent to the high priest.

John 17 - Jesus prays and speaks to God about his mission and his followers. First, he asks the Father to glorify him so that he can glorify God and give eternal life to those who believe. Then, he prays for his disciples, asking God to protect them, keep them unified, and set them apart in the truth as they continue his work in the world. Finally, he prays for all future believers, desiring that they would be united in love, just as he and the Father are one, so that the world may know God’s love.

Revelation 22 - John sees a vision of a restored Eden. The River of Life flows from the throne of God down the middle of the city, and a Tree of Life stands on either side of the river, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. There will be no more curse or night, and God will be the light to the people. The chapter ends with a promise that Jesus is coming soon and he invites everyone to come and drink from the water of life.

Revelation 21 - John sees a vision of a New Heaven and New Earth. He also sees the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, beautiful as a bride. He then hears a voice that says that God’s dwelling place is now among the people; God will be with them, will be their God, and will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, because God is making everything new.

Revelation 1:12-20 - John sees a vision in which there are seven golden lampstands, and among them is someone like a son of man, wearing a robe and a golden sash. His hair is white like wool and his eyes are a blazing fire, his feet are like bronze and his voice is like rushing waters. In his right hand he holds seven stars, and from his mouth comes a sharp, double-edged sword. His face is shining like the sun. John falls down at his feet, but he tells him not to be afraid, for he is the first and the last, the one who was dead and is now alive again. The mystery of this vision is that the seven lampstands represent seven churches, and the seven stars represent the seven angels of the those churches.

John 14:12-26 - In the days leading up to the end of Jesus’ life on earth, he speaks with his disciples, giving them instructions and comforting them. He tells them that they will go on to do even greater works than the ones he’s done, that they can ask the Father for anything in his name, and that they are to keep his commands out of love. He also promises to send them an Advocate to help them and be with them forever, the Holy Spirit. He is not truly leaving them, but will continue to be with them through the Spirit, who will teach them all things and will remind them of the things that Jesus had taught them.

John 12:1-8 - Six days before Passover, Jesus visited his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in their home for dinner. While Martha served the food and Lazarus was relaxing at the table with Jesus, Mary took her very expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair, and the whole house smelled like perfume. Judas spoke up and asked why the expensive perfume wasn’t sold and the money given to the poor instead. But Jesus told Judas to leave her alone because she had anointed him in preparation for his death and burial. He said that while they would always have the poor among them, they would not always have him.

Luke 19:1-10 - When Jesus passed through Jericho, there was a wealthy tax collector named Zacchaeus who wanted to see him, but he couldn’t see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed up a tree in the direction that Jesus was going. When Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and called him to come down because he wanted to visit him in his house. The people who saw this muttered that Jesus was going to be the guest of a sinner. Then Zacchaeus spoke up and promised that he would give half of what he owned to the poor and that if he ever cheated anyone, he would give them back four times the amount. Then Jesus called Zacchaeus a Son of Abraham.

Luke 10:1-18 - Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples, who he sent out in pairs to go ahead of him to each town and place he visited. They were instructed to bring a greeting of peace to each house they entered and to accept whatever food and drink they were given as their pay. They were to heal the sick and to share the good news that the kingdom of God had come near. When the seventy-two returned to Jesus, they were overjoyed to tell him that even the demons submit to them in Jesus’ name. Jesus responded that they should not rejoice in this but in the fact that their names are written in heaven.