First Quarter

Sustaining Hope

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014–NOVEMBER 30, 2014

The thirteen lessons for the fall quarter focus on the theme of hope. Unit 1 concentrates on the hope for restoration that exiled Israel will experience as seen through the eyes of the prophet Jeremiah. The lessons of the second unit feature Bible readings from Habakkuk, Job, and the psalmist, all of whom seek hope from God in times of trouble. The final unit is a five-lesson study of God's glory as Ezekiel and Isaiah envisioned it.

Unit 1, "The Days Are Surely Coming," begins on September 7 with "A Vision of the Future," which reviews God's promise as recorded in Jeremiah 30 to restore the people to their land. We move ahead to Jeremiah 31 on September 14 to explore God's new covenant that not only ensures forgiveness but also promises a renewed relationship between God and Israel. On September 21 we consider "A New Future" as we turn to Jeremiah 32 to hear about the prophet's hopefulness as he buys a field while awaiting an invasion by the Babylonians. "Improbable Possibilities," the lesson for September 28, examines God's promise that forgiveness and restoration will follow punishment.

"Dark Nights of the Soul," a four-session unit that begins on October 5, opens with "Rejoice Anyway," which looks at background Scripture from Job 1, Psalm 56, and Habakkuk 1–3 to discern God's message of patience and assurance that God will act on behalf of justice. On October 12 we will study "Even So, My Redeemer Lives," based on Job 19 and Psalm 57, to understand that Job had an unwavering belief in God's redemption. "Hope Complains," the session for October 19, delves into Job 5, 24, and Psalm 55:12-23 to hear Job's complaint that God appears to do nothing to call wicked people to account for their actions. On October 26 we turn to Job 42 and Psalm 86 to hear the conclusion of the conversation between God and Job and become aware that "Hope Satisfies."

The third unit, "Visions of Grandeur," begins on November 2 with "God's Divine Glory Returns," which glimpses the vision of God's holy and merciful glory in the Temple as seen in Ezekiel 40:1–43:12. We review the instructions that the prophet was given to build a new altar and make offerings as told in Ezekiel 43:10–46:24 in the lesson for November 9, "The Altar, A Sign of Hope." On November 16 we catch a glimpse of Ezekiel's vision of life-giving water, as recorded in Ezekiel 47:1, 3-12, in a session titled "A Transforming Stream." "Transformation Continued," the lesson for November 23 from Ezekiel 47:13-23 and Acts 2:37-47, helps us to hear God's Word about sharing our inheritance with those who live among us. Unit 3 concludes on November 30 with "Let Zion Rejoice," where we hear the prophet's words of hope, good news, and rejoicing from Isaiah 52:1-2, 7-12 and Psalm 33. These words seem especially appropriate on this first Sunday of Advent.

Meet Our Writer

REV. JOHN INDERMARK

John Indermark lives in the town of Naselle, located in the southwest corner of Washington state. His wife, Judy, recently retired from her work as an E-911 dispatcher for Pacific County, Washington. Their son Jeff works on the Quality Assurance team that oversees the counseling programs in the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration facilities in the state of Washington.

John grew up in St. Louis, graduating from Northwest High School, St. Louis University, and Eden Theological Seminary. Ordained in the United Church of Christ, John served as a parish pastor for sixteen years before shifting to a ministry of the written word. He has also served in a variety of interim and extended pulpit supply positions for Presbyterian, Methodist, and Lutheran congregations in southwest Washington and northwest Oregon. In the spring of 2013, he served a three-month associate pastor term at Church of the Holy Cross (U.C.C.) in Hilo, Hawaii.

John's ministry of writing focuses on spiritual formation books and Christian education curricula. Among his most recent books are Way Words: A Daily Itinerary for Lent and Gospeled Lives. John and coauthor Sharon Harding have a new book, Advent: A to Z: Prayerful and Playful Preparations for Families. The curricula projects he currently writes for include The Present Word, as well as The New International Lesson Annual. He wrote the New Testament materials for youth and leaders in Crossings: God's Journey with Us, a confirmation resource published by Logos Productions, Inc., and also did a revision of that resource for use with adults.

In their spare time, John and Judy enjoy walking their region's trails and logging roads and traveling the Southwest, Hawaii, and British Columbia.

The Big Picture: Keeping Hope Alive

What Do You Hope For?

Your answers to that question will rely, to some degree, upon your age. What a young adult, who seemingly has all of life ahead, hopes for will likely differ from the hopes of an elder who has journeyed through many years and experiences. Indeed, those accumulating years of experiences may nurture or suffocate hopes once held. That final point underscores the...