3rd Quarter-In the Crucible With Christ

Our Creator, the one in whom “we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28), suffered in humanity in ways that none of us ever could. We only experience our own griefs, our own sorrows; at the cross He bore “our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isa. 53:4)—all of them. It’s the most amazing act in all cosmic history.
With that background (that of the crucified God lifted up before us), we will for the next few months seek to better comprehend the incomprehensible—our own suffering, the sufferings of Christians, of those committed to Christ. We make no claims to have all the answers or even many; we’re claiming only that “God is love” (1 John 4:8) and that although these things happen, we can trust God despite them and, indeed, grow in grace through them, no matter how painful the process.
This quarter we will study the Word of God and see how other flesh and blood, though radiated in faith, nevertheless faced despair, betrayal, disappointment, loss, injustice, and abuse (sound like anything you can relate to?). How did they cope? What did they learn? What can their examples teach us?
As we look at these people, their experiences, their struggles, and their trials of faith (which might be much like our own), we must always see them contrasted against the background of the Cross. We must always remember that no matter what anyone faces, Jesus Christ, our Creator and Redeemer, went through worse.
Our lessons are an attempt to help us work through the inevitable suffering we all face in a world full of sin. We will try to show that pain, suffering, and loss don’t mean that God has abandoned us. Through Jesus and the hope He offers, purpose can be found in what seems meaningless and purposeless and that we can trust the promise that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28, NKJV.
Lessons
Contents and Introduction
Lesson 01
June 25–July 1
Lesson 02
July 2–July 8
Lesson 03
July 9–July 15
Lesson 04
July 16–July 22
Lesson 05
July 23–July 29
Lesson 06
July 30–August 5
Lesson 07
August 6–August 12
Lesson 08
August 13–August 19
Lesson 09
August 20–August 26
Lesson 10
August 27–September 2
Lesson 11
September 3–September 9
Lesson 12
September 10–September 16
Lesson 13
September 17–September 23
Contents and Introduction
Lesson 01
June 25–July 1
Lesson 02
July 2–July 8
Lesson 03
July 9–July 15
Lesson 04
July 16–July 22
Lesson 05
July 23–July 29
Lesson 06
July 30–August 5
Lesson 07
August 6–August 12
Lesson 08
August 13–August 19
Lesson 09
August 20–August 26
Lesson 10
August 27–September 2
Lesson 11
September 3–September 9
Lesson 12
September 10–September 16
Lesson 13
September 17–September 23
Contents and Introduction
Lesson 01
June 25–July 1
Lesson 02
July 2–July 8
Lesson 03
July 9–July 15
Lesson 04
July 16–July 22
Lesson 05
July 23–July 29
Lesson 06
July 30–August 5
Lesson 07
August 6–August 12
Lesson 08
August 13–August 19
Lesson 09
August 20–August 26
Lesson 10
August 27–September 2
Lesson 11
September 3–September 9
Lesson 12
September 10–September 16
Lesson 13
September 17–September 23