Joyful Moments in Christ

This Bible study lesson is for people who are learning English (ELL or ESL students). It is made for advanced beginner and intermediate English learners. Children who speak English or adults who prefer easy English may also enjoy it and learn from it.

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Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever had to choose between something you wanted to do and something you knew was more important?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn what it means to follow Jesus. We will hear about people who wanted to follow him, but made excuses. We will talk about why following Jesus is so important.

Vocabulary List (GNT)

1. Anyone — Any person.
2. Bird — An animal with feathers and wings that can usually fly.
3. Bury — To put a dead body into the ground.
4. Dead — A person or animal that is no longer alive.
5. Family — The people you are related to, like parents, brothers, and sisters.
6. Follow — To go after someone and do what they do.
7. Fox — A wild animal with a long tail and a pointed nose.
8. Go — To move from one place to another.
9. Go Back — To return to a place you were before.
10. Good-bye — A word people say when leaving each other.
11. Hole — A space or opening in something.
12. Keeps — Continues to do something.
13. Kingdom Of God — God’s perfect place where he is King and everything is good and right. It is a real place in heaven, and it also lives in the hearts of people who love and follow him.
14. Lie Down — To put your body flat to rest or sleep.
15. Look Back — To turn your head to see behind you.
16. Nest — A place made by a bird to lay its eggs and live.
17. Place — A space or area where something or someone can be.
18. Plow — A tool used to turn over soil in a field to plant seeds.
19. Proclaim — To tell people something in a strong, clear way.
20. Rest — To stop working or moving and relax.
21. Say — To speak words.
22. Someone Else — A different person.
23. Son of Man — A name Jesus used for himself.
24. Starts — Begins to do something.
25. Use — Being helpful or needed for something.
26. Way — A road, path, or direction.
27. Went — Moved from one place to another.
28. Wherever — In any place.
29. Would-Be — A person who says they want to do something but has not done it yet.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells a story about people who wanted to follow Jesus. In the Bible, Jesus traveled to many places to teach people about God. Some people wanted to follow him and learn from him.

One man said he would follow Jesus everywhere. But Jesus explained that following him would be hard. He said that animals like foxes and birds have homes, but Jesus did not have a place to rest. This meant that following Jesus is not always easy or comfortable.

Then, Jesus asked another man to follow him. But the man wanted to go bury his father first. In those days, this could mean the father had just died, or it might mean the man wanted to stay home until his father passed away one day in the future. Jesus told him to let others take care of that and to go tell people about God’s kingdom.

Another person wanted to follow Jesus too but asked to say good-bye to his family first. Jesus said that if someone starts to plow a field and keeps looking back, they cannot do their work well. He meant that followers of Jesus need to stay focused and not let other things get in the way.

This passage teaches us that following Jesus is the most important thing. It shows us that we should not let excuses or other plans stop us from doing what God wants.

Read The Passage

The Would-Be Followers of Jesus
57 As they went on their way, a man said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But that man said, “Sir, first let me go back and bury my father.”
60 Jesus answered, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.”
61 Someone else said, “I will follow you, sir; but first let me go and say good-bye to my family.”
62 Jesus said to him, “Anyone who starts to plow and then keeps looking back is of no use for the Kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:57-62 (GNT)

Most English learners should use the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) or the Good News Translation (GNT) because they are easy to read. If you want to try something harder, you can read one of the other Bible versions:

• Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 9:57-62 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 9:57-62 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 9:57-62 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 9:57-62 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 9:57-62 (ESV)

Comprehension Questions

1. What did the first man say to Jesus?
2. What did Jesus tell the first man about animals and himself?
3. What did the second man want to do before following Jesus?
4. What did Jesus tell him about burying the dead?
5. What did the third person want to do before following Jesus?
6. What example did Jesus give about a plow?
7. What does Jesus want people to do when they follow him?

Application Questions

1. What are some things that sometimes stop people from following Jesus today?
2. Why do you think Jesus wants us to stay focused on him?
3. Is there something you find hard to give up to follow God?
4. What can help you follow Jesus even when it is hard?

Theological Insights

1. Jesus teaches that following him is not always easy, but it is worth it.
2. God wants us to put him first in our hearts and lives.
3. When we follow Jesus, we should not let other things become more important than him.
4. God calls his people to tell others about his kingdom.
5. Jesus uses simple stories to teach deep truths about faith and life.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for teaching us to follow you. Help us say yes to you and not make excuses. Show us how to put you first in our hearts. Amen.

ELL Resources for the Gospel of Luke

More ELL Resources

You can find more Bible lessons for English learners on the main ELL page.

Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version- Second Edition Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.