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

What is something you were afraid of when you were a child?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, Jesus teaches us not to be afraid. He reminds us that God loves us and knows everything about us. We will learn that God sees what is in our hearts and will help us speak when we are scared.

Vocabulary List (GNT)

1. Afraid — Feeling scared or worried.
2. Afterward — At a later time; after something else happens.
3. Angel — A messenger from God who serves and worships him.
4. Assure — To tell someone something to make them feel sure or calm.
5. Authority — The power or right to give orders and make decisions.
6. Belong — To be part of a group or be connected with someone.
7. Broad Daylight — When it is very bright outside during the day.
8. Bring — To take someone or something to a place.
9. Closed Room — A room with the doors shut so no one else can hear.
10. Confessing — To tell others what you believe or what you have done.
11. Count — To say numbers in order or to find out the total number.
12. Covered Up — Hidden so no one can see or know about it.
13. Crowded Together — A large group of people standing very close to each other.
14. Declare — To say something clearly and with strong belief.
15. Defend — To protect yourself or explain why you are right.
16. Disciples — People who follow and learn from a teacher, especially Jesus.
17. Fear — To feel afraid or worried about something.
18. Forgiven — To have your wrong actions or sins taken away by God or another person.
19. Friend — A person you like and trust.
20. Governor — A leader in charge of part of a country or region.
21. Hair — The strands that grow on your head and body.
22. Head — The top part of your body that holds your brain, eyes, and mouth.
23. Hell — A place of punishment after death for those who turn away from God.
24. Heard — To listen to and know a sound or words.
25. Holy Spirit — God’s Spirit, who helps people believe, live, and speak for God.
26. Housetop — The flat part on the top of a house, sometimes used for announcements.
27. Hypocrisy — When a person pretends to be good but does bad things in secret.
28. Kill — To take the life of a person or animal.
29. Made Known — To tell or show something to people so they know about it.
30. Many — A large number of people or things.
31. More — A greater amount or number.
32. Much — A large amount of something.
33. Penny — A small coin worth very little money.
34. Pharisees — A group of Jewish religious leaders in Jesus’ time who cared a lot about rules but often missed what God wanted most.
35. Private — A place where other people cannot see or hear.
36. Publicly — So that everyone can see or hear.
37. Reject — To refuse to accept or believe in someone or something.
38. Ruler — A person who leads a country or group.
39. Say — To speak words out loud.
40. Secret — Something that is kept hidden and not told to others.
41. Show — To let someone see or know something.
42. Son of Man — A name Jesus often used for himself, showing he was human and sent by God.
43. Sparrow — A small, common bird.
44. Stepping — To put your foot down while walking or moving.
45. Synagogue — A place where Jewish people worship and learn about God.
46. Teach — To explain something so others can understand and learn.
47. Tried — To be brought before a court to decide if someone is guilty or innocent.
48. Uncovered — To show or make something known that was hidden.
49. Warning — Words that tell someone about danger or something bad that might happen.
50. Whispered — To speak very softly so only one or a few people can hear.
51. Word — A group of letters that has meaning when spoken or written.
52. Worried — Feeling nervous or afraid about what might happen.
53. Worth — How valuable or important something is.
54. Yeast — A small living thing used to make bread rise; here it means a bad influence.

Summary of the Passage

This passage shows Jesus speaking to a large crowd of people. So many people came to hear him that they were stepping on each other. Jesus first spoke to his closest followers, called disciples. He warned them not to act like the Pharisees, who were religious leaders. These leaders pretended to be good, but inside their hearts, they did wrong things. Jesus told them that one day, everything people hide will be known by everyone. Every secret will come out.

Next, Jesus told the people not to be afraid of those who could hurt their bodies. He said the only one they should fear is God, because God has power over both life and death. But then Jesus gave them good news. He said that God cares about small birds like sparrows, and people are worth much more than birds. God knows everything about each person, even how many hairs are on their head. Jesus told them not to be afraid because God loves them and watches over them.

Finally, Jesus spoke about being brave when people talk badly about them for following him. He promised that if they tell others they belong to him, he will tell the angels about them in heaven. He also said the Holy Spirit would help them know what to say when they have to speak in front of leaders or rulers. They did not need to worry because God would help them.

This passage teaches us that God sees what is in our hearts. He cares for us deeply and will help us when we are scared. We do not have to pretend to be someone we are not. God loves us, knows us, and is with us.

Read The Passage

A Warning against Hypocrisy
1 As thousands of people crowded together, so that they were stepping on each other, Jesus said first to his disciples, “Be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees—I mean their hypocrisy.
2 Whatever is covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known.
3 So then, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in broad daylight, and whatever you have whispered in private in a closed room will be shouted from the housetops.
Whom to Fear
4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot afterward do anything worse.
5 I will show you whom to fear: fear God, who, after killing, has the authority to throw into hell. Believe me, he is the one you must fear!
6 “Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one sparrow is forgotten by God.
7 Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!
Confessing and Rejecting Christ
8 “I assure you that those who declare publicly that they belong to me, the Son of Man will do the same for them before the angels of God.
9 But those who reject me publicly, the Son of Man will also reject them before the angels of God.
10 “Whoever says a word against the Son of Man can be forgiven; but whoever says evil things against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 “When they bring you to be tried in the synagogues or before governors or rulers, do not be worried about how you will defend yourself or what you will say.
12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Luke 12:1-12 (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 12:1-12 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 12:1-12 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 12:1-12 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 12:1-12 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 12:1-12 (ESV)

Comprehension Questions

1. Who was Jesus speaking to when the story began?
2. What did Jesus warn his disciples about?
3. What did Jesus say would happen to secrets?
4. Who did Jesus say people should fear?
5. What example did Jesus give about sparrows and God’s care?
6. How does God show that he cares about people?
7. What promise did Jesus give to people who speak about him in front of others?
8. What did Jesus say about those who reject him in public?
9. What special help did Jesus say the Holy Spirit would give?
10. When will the Holy Spirit help them know what to say?

Application Questions

1. When do you feel afraid?
2. Why do you think Jesus told people not to be afraid?
3. How does it make you feel to know that God knows everything about you?
4. Why is it important to be honest and not pretend to be something we are not?
5. How can you be brave about your faith when other people do not believe the same as you?

Theological Insights

1. God sees everything we do, even the things we try to hide.
2. We should respect God more than people because God has power over life and death.
3. God loves and cares for all people, even the smallest and weakest.
4. Those who trust in Jesus are safe with God, even when life is hard.
5. The Holy Spirit lives in God’s people and helps them be brave and speak the truth.
6. Jesus promises to stand with those who are not afraid to follow him.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for loving us and knowing everything about us. Please help us not to be afraid and to trust you in every part of our lives. 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.