LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1989, Page 78

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78 LIFELIGHT BIBLE STUDY

to implement the following five-year plan. However, some
congregations may wish to add a fourth course.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Matthew I Genesis II John I

Matthew II Romans I John IT

Genesis I Romans II 1 Peter and 1 John
Year 4 Year 5

Exodus I Acts IJ

Exodus II Acts II

Hebrews Revelation

Student Materials

Each week, participants receive the following two stu-
dent leaflets:

© Study leaflet—Outlines five days of Scripture reading,
related questions, and daily suggestions for personal
worship.

@ Review leaflet—Brings further clarity to the lesson
studied. Participants receive their review leaflet after
hearing the lecture at the weekly LifeLight gathering.
They also receive the study leaflet containing the next
week’s lesson.

To ensure complete understanding of LifeLight plan-
ning and procedures, the Synod has developed a training
program. Synodical LifeLight leaders train District lead-
ers, and District leaders train local congregational leaders
to plan and implement this comprehensive program. Par-
ticipation in these training workshops is vital to the suc-
cess of LifeLight.

LifeLight teaching and promotional materials include:

¢ Training manuals—Used in the training workshops,
the manuals explain the responsibilities of the LifeLight
Leadership Team, which includes the director, pre-
senter, and small-group coordinator.

¢ Planning guide—Gives congregational decision-mak-
ers a complete overview of the program.

@ Leaders’ guide—One provided per course. Outlines the
lesson plan and helpful tips for each member of the lead-
ership team.

@ Video—Shows LifeLight in action at a Lutheran con-
gregation to give congregational decision-makers a bet-
ter feel for the program.

© Audio Cassettes—The presenter uses these to help
him prepare the group lecture. Small groups unable to
meet during the weekly LifeLight gathering may simply
listen to the prerecorded lecture.

¢ LifeLight for Littles Ones—a program for 2- to 4-year
olds, provides parents the assurance—and the conve-
nience—of Christ-centered child care while they attend
their own LifeLight class. 27 session plans—enough for
one complete year of adult LifeLight—provides child
care workers with step-by-step instructions for each
session.

®@ Promotional Supports
Banner pattern
Poster
Bulletin
Certificate of Completion

Button
Lapel Pin
Notebook

Training
: To find out about training workshops in any area of the
Synod, interested congregations or individuals should con-
tact their LCMS District education office or write

LifeLight
LCMS International Center
1333 S. Kirkwood Road
St. Louis, MO 63122-7295
Earl Gaulke, Ph.D.

Bible Study 1
Jesus Teaches, Preaches, Heals
(Matt. 9:35-38)

Good morning to all of you.

Open your Bibles with me to Matt. 9:35-38. Sending
the disciples on His mission. That’s our theme for the week.
We start with the shortest section of all, only four verses,
but how powerful they are.

Verse 35: “Jesus went through all the towns and vil-
lages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good
news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sick-
ness” [NIV].

We don’t start with our mission, our strategy, our plan-
ning, our efforts. Matthew starts with Jesus’ mission, and
that mission is summarized with the words teaching in
their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom
and healing every disease and sickness.

You might be saying that it’s hard to start with lesson
7 in a nine week course, but this verse helps to capsulize
what has come before. .

When Jesus first burst onto the scene in Galilee, as
recorded in chapter 4 verse 23, we read similar words:
“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their syn-
agogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and
healing every disease and sickness among the people.”

Fresh from the waters of His Jordan River baptism,
emerging victorious from the challenging temptation of the
wilderness, Jesus comes proclaiming the kingdom of
heaven, teaching in synagogues, like the ones of Nazareth
and Capernauum, going to the seashore and calling dis-
ciples to Him, gathering disciples around Himona hillside,

and presenting what we know as the Sermon on the
Mount—identifying Himself as the Messiah, by grace
pointing out the Kingdom, and showing the implications
for Kingdom-living.

And then the rapid fire events—the healing of the un-
clean leper whom He touched, encounters with demon-pos-
sessed people, and a centurion’s servant, raising the ruler’s
daughter, and many other miracles—all showing Him
clearly as the Messiah on a mission. Yes, that mission
involved teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good
news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and
sickness.

Now in verse 36, we learn the focus of that mission, as
well as the attitude, or the motivation: “When He saw the -
crowds, He had compassion [italics added] on them, be-  - “Sgr