Correctly sharing spiritual truth with others

Luke 10: 2 – 16

What is your favorite source for national and international news?

What makes you value that source over other potential sources?

Imagine you were an ancient agricultural worker. How would it feel to have a harvest that was ready to be acquired without the workforce to accomplish the task?

Why does Jesus ask them to pray for more harvesters and then immediately send them out on the dangerous journey of harvesting themselves?

What factors make the harvesting of souls dangerous work?

What is it about this dangerous catch that makes it worth it to Jesus to risk his disciples’ safety?

What are some of the risks that you take to share the gospel with your co-workers and friends?

How can we discern when is the appropriate time to take the risk of connecting words with our actions?

Describe Jesus’ instructions for these new messengers as the go out on their mission.

Why does it seem that Jesus is stacking the deck against their success?

Why does he tell them to rely upon the hospitality of others?

What kinds of actions are they specifically to do in their ministry to these towns?

How might these instructions be applied to our ministry to our friends and neighbors?

How does someone develop a humble enough attitude to accept hospitality?

Share with me specifically the message that God has called us to tell our friends?

How would you describe the tone of Jesus’ discourse in verses 13 – 16?

What is it about these towns that cause Jesus to lament so deeply?

What does his lament tell us about the gravity of accepting or rejecting the gospel message?

How does a person determine when they are to move on to ministering to a different group, block, or neighborhood?

How hospitable is your heart to the message of Jesus?

Reacting to people who are complete jerks

Luke 6: 20—23, 27—45, 47—49

How do you go about recognizing a jerk when you see one?

Read verses 20 – 23. Describe the kind of person who according to Jesus is living a happy life.

How does this perspective of blessedness contrast with our usual way of defining happiness?

What would be Jesus’ reasoning for arguing that those kind of people are blessed?

How well do you relate to the blessed people Jesus describes in this passage?

What are some ways that you are poor, or hunger, or weep, or are excluded?

How do you tend to react when you realize you are in such a negative situation?

How does this text help you see your life from a different angle?

How should you react when you identify yourself as someone Jesus mentions in this passage?

Read verses 27 – 45.
What are some categories into which you might place Jesus’ teachings in this passage?

In general, how would you describe Jesus’ expectation on how we should treat other people?

What reasons does Jesus give us for his demand for us to treat others that way?

Which of Jesus’ teachings in this text do you find most difficult to practically apply?

Which of these teachings do you find most personally appealing?

Reading this text, in what way are you most convicted in your personal life?

Spend some time right now praying and asking Jesus to help you gain victory in that area.

Read verses 47 – 49. What metaphor does Jesus use to describe the different responses people have to his teaching?

How is this metaphor particularly apropos when discussing life teaching in his setting?

Why is Jesus so confident about the practical impact of his teachings in people’s lives?

In what ways is your life founded upon the rock of Jesus’ teaching?

In what ways is your life built upon your own presuppositions?

How have you seen the truth of Jesus’ metaphor demonstrated in your own personal experience?