The Gospels Set 17 Study Resources
Companion study notes, commentary, and next-step resources for this set of readings from The Gospels Discipleship Journal.
This Set’s Big Idea
Jesus reveals Himself as the resurrection and the life, calls His disciples to grateful faith and persistent prayer, welcomes the humble, and teaches that entering God’s kingdom requires wholehearted trust rather than self-reliance.
As you read, watch how Jesus raises Lazarus, calls people to recognize the kingdom, honors gratitude and humble faith, teaches persistence in prayer, welcomes children, upholds God’s design for marriage, and confronts the false security of wealth and self-righteousness.
These notes correspond with Set 17 readings in The Gospels Discipleship Journal. First, use MTSM’s Pray, Read, Ask, and Pray method to study the passage devotionally. After you finish, use these notes to deepen your understanding if you’d like.
This set begins with one of the clearest revelations of Jesus’ identity and authority. In John 11, Jesus enters the grief of Mary and Martha, declares that He is the resurrection and the life, and calls Lazarus out of the tomb. The miracle reveals both His compassion and His power over death, yet it also deepens the opposition against Him as the religious leaders begin planning His death.
As you read Luke 17–18, Matthew 19, and Mark 10, pay attention to the posture Jesus commends. A healed Samaritan returns with gratitude. A widow refuses to stop praying. A tax collector cries out for mercy. Children receive the kingdom with simple trust. By contrast, the rich man struggles to surrender the one thing that owns his heart. These passages invite us to trust Jesus with life and death, pray without giving up, receive grace humbly, honor God’s design, and follow Christ without divided allegiance.
👉 Continue where you are in this set’s reading journey.
📖 Don’t rush—take time to reflect, write, and pray through Jesus’ power over death, the call to grateful and persistent faith, and the challenge of wholehearted surrender.
Start with 🟦 Foundations Commentary.
If a passage raises questions or you want to go deeper, move to 🟩 Leader or 🟪 Deep Roots.
You do not need to read every (or any) commentary level to benefit from The Gospels.
John 11:17-57
Luke 17:11-37
Luke 18:1-14
Matthew 19:1-15
Mark 10:17-31
Your Next Step
Using The Gospels Journal in a Group Setting?
Continue the conversation with The Gospels Set 17 Discussion & Heart Check Questions. Explore Jesus’ power over death through the raising of Lazarus, His call to persistent prayer, the importance of humble faith and gratitude, His teaching on marriage and children, and His challenge to surrender everything in order to follow Him.
Together, consider what it means to trust Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life. Discuss faith in seasons of waiting, grateful worship, persistent prayer, childlike dependence, the dangers of trusting in wealth or self-righteousness, and what wholehearted discipleship looks like in everyday life.
If you are not using The Gospels Journal in a group setting, you can still use the Discussion and Heart Check Questions for personal reflection, accountability, and application.
Perfect for: small groups, discipleship groups, families, Sunday School classes, one-on-one discipleship relationships, and personal reflection.
Keep Walking with Jesus
Remember, you’re not just reading Scripture—you’re learning to walk with Jesus. Stay consistent this week. Read slowly, reflect honestly, pray intentionally, and come back for the next step in the journey.
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