Luke 16: 13, 16 – 17
Make a list of 10 things that have more value to you personally than cash.
Memorize verse 13.
If a person has two equal bosses what is likely to happen in their career?
What are some ways that money can act like a master in a person's life?
What are some steps a person can take to ensure finances are not gaining too much of a hold on their values and motives?
How have financial concerns cracked the whip in your life recently?
What are you going to do this week to gain the kind of freedom Jesus is discussing in this text.
Read verses 16 – 17.
Describe Jesus' view of history as he describes it in this passage.
What does Jesus consider to be his role in this tale of salvation history?
What is Jesus' view towards the Old Testament Scriptures?
Why does Jesus have such a high view of the Old Testament?
How should your view of the Scriptures change based on Jesus' endorsement?
Why does God demand such absolute loyalty towards him and his Kingdom?
What does God's law say about the place financial resources should have in our lives?
What role should God's law play in the life of a disciple of Jesus?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Setting the Correct Priorities in Life
Setting the correct priorities in life
Luke 14: 5, 16 - 23, 26 - 27, 34 – 35
Based upon your bills and your calendar, what are your most significant priorities?
Memorize verse 5.
Describe the context of this verse in Luke's recounting of the gospel story.
Based on this verse what is Jesus' perspective on the Sabbath day?
What kinds of exceptions would Jesus make in our contemporary society for breaking a day of rest?
What is your day of rest? How closely do you protect having that time?
Read verses 16 – 23.
Trace your range of emotions as you are the servant trying to invite people to this particular party.
Into what categories would you place the different excuses that the invited guests give to the servant.
What would you assume is the real reason that they are not going to this banquet?
Why does the master choose to fill his party with the riffraff from the city streets and the highway rest-stops?
What excuses do you give in your daily life to avoid spending quality time with God?
How can a person become more likely to include devotional time in their lives?
Read verses 26 – 27.
What argument might you give to avoid having to live out Jesus' teaching here?
What does Jesus mean by his hyperbolic statement that we are to hate our loved ones?
What stigma would carrying an execution implement have for people during Jesus' time?
What does it really mean to carry a cross in following Jesus?
What are some ways that following Jesus has broken you and your family?
How can we become more open to the severe kind of love Jesus brings into our lives?
Read verses 34 – 35.
What are some of the many uses for salt that makes it such a valuable commodity?
How does salt go about losing its salty qualities?
How is salt an accurate illustration of the lives of followers of Jesus?
What are some ways that God wants to use you to season and preserve this community?
What are some things that threaten to mix into your life and neutralize your effectiveness as a representative of Jesus?
How does a person go about keeping their lives pure in a messy world?
Luke 14: 5, 16 - 23, 26 - 27, 34 – 35
Based upon your bills and your calendar, what are your most significant priorities?
Memorize verse 5.
Describe the context of this verse in Luke's recounting of the gospel story.
Based on this verse what is Jesus' perspective on the Sabbath day?
What kinds of exceptions would Jesus make in our contemporary society for breaking a day of rest?
What is your day of rest? How closely do you protect having that time?
Read verses 16 – 23.
Trace your range of emotions as you are the servant trying to invite people to this particular party.
Into what categories would you place the different excuses that the invited guests give to the servant.
What would you assume is the real reason that they are not going to this banquet?
Why does the master choose to fill his party with the riffraff from the city streets and the highway rest-stops?
What excuses do you give in your daily life to avoid spending quality time with God?
How can a person become more likely to include devotional time in their lives?
Read verses 26 – 27.
What argument might you give to avoid having to live out Jesus' teaching here?
What does Jesus mean by his hyperbolic statement that we are to hate our loved ones?
What stigma would carrying an execution implement have for people during Jesus' time?
What does it really mean to carry a cross in following Jesus?
What are some ways that following Jesus has broken you and your family?
How can we become more open to the severe kind of love Jesus brings into our lives?
Read verses 34 – 35.
What are some of the many uses for salt that makes it such a valuable commodity?
How does salt go about losing its salty qualities?
How is salt an accurate illustration of the lives of followers of Jesus?
What are some ways that God wants to use you to season and preserve this community?
What are some things that threaten to mix into your life and neutralize your effectiveness as a representative of Jesus?
How does a person go about keeping their lives pure in a messy world?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Overcoming our fear of commitment
Luke 12: 2 - 12, 22 - 31, 33 - 34, 39 - 40, 42 - 46, 51 - 53, 57 – 59
What would you say are the most important changes that need to happen in this city?
Read verses 2 – 12.
Why does Jesus start this talk by reminding people that their hidden thoughts will be brought to light?
What does it mean to fear God? What is it about God that makes him worthy of our trust and respect?
Describe the kind of loyalty that God expects from his people.
Why is it considered high treason to speak against the Holy Spirit.
When are some times that you tend to be disloyal to God?
How can you develop a better attitude towards God in your life?
Read verses 22 – 34.
Describe Jesus' over-all perspective on material possessions.
Why is it ridiculous for a Jesus-follower to worry about their needs?
Why is it so likely that we do exactly that every day?
What are some activities that Jesus would argue help to cure materialism.
Why is generosity in general such a powerful tool against valuing things too highly?
What is a worry that you need to entrust to God tonight?
What is an asset that you need to share with someone else this week?
Read verses 39 – 46.
How does the reality of an immanent return of Jesus effect the everyday lives of those who are his disciples?
Based on this passage what does it mean to be ready for Jesus' return?
How does your life need to change to be prepared for his arrival?
Why might some scholars consider some verses in this sermon as editorial comments by Luke? Why does that not change the way we view those verses?
Read verses 51 – 53 and 57 – 59.
Is Jesus a divisive or uniting character? Why is he at peace with causing confrontation?
How have you seen Jesus create tensions in your relationships?
Why are we so uncomfortable with that kind of tension?
Contrast Jesus' teaching in verse 57 – 59 with his tone in 51 – 53.
Why does he encourage us to resolve our personal conflicts through plea bargains?
What is the difference between personal conflicts and conflicts based on the Kingdom?
What is a personal conflict that you need to resolve this week?
What would you say are the most important changes that need to happen in this city?
Read verses 2 – 12.
Why does Jesus start this talk by reminding people that their hidden thoughts will be brought to light?
What does it mean to fear God? What is it about God that makes him worthy of our trust and respect?
Describe the kind of loyalty that God expects from his people.
Why is it considered high treason to speak against the Holy Spirit.
When are some times that you tend to be disloyal to God?
How can you develop a better attitude towards God in your life?
Read verses 22 – 34.
Describe Jesus' over-all perspective on material possessions.
Why is it ridiculous for a Jesus-follower to worry about their needs?
Why is it so likely that we do exactly that every day?
What are some activities that Jesus would argue help to cure materialism.
Why is generosity in general such a powerful tool against valuing things too highly?
What is a worry that you need to entrust to God tonight?
What is an asset that you need to share with someone else this week?
Read verses 39 – 46.
How does the reality of an immanent return of Jesus effect the everyday lives of those who are his disciples?
Based on this passage what does it mean to be ready for Jesus' return?
How does your life need to change to be prepared for his arrival?
Why might some scholars consider some verses in this sermon as editorial comments by Luke? Why does that not change the way we view those verses?
Read verses 51 – 53 and 57 – 59.
Is Jesus a divisive or uniting character? Why is he at peace with causing confrontation?
How have you seen Jesus create tensions in your relationships?
Why are we so uncomfortable with that kind of tension?
Contrast Jesus' teaching in verse 57 – 59 with his tone in 51 – 53.
Why does he encourage us to resolve our personal conflicts through plea bargains?
What is the difference between personal conflicts and conflicts based on the Kingdom?
What is a personal conflict that you need to resolve this week?
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Recognizing the Spiritual Sickness of Religiosity
Luke 11
What is usually your first clue that you are about to get seriously ill?
Read verses 11: 2 – 4. How would you describe the prayer that Jesus teaches his disciples?
For each element of the prayer, why does he have his disciples pray that way?
How does your prayer life need to change based upon the example Jesus gives?
Pray the Lord's prayer together as a group to help memorize the example.
Read verses 9 – 13. How do Jesus' promises in this passage make you feel as you hear them?
What is the scope of the promises that Jesus makes?
Why does Jesus use a relationship with a parent to illustrate our relationship with God?
How should the perspective this text gives alter your prayer experience this week?
Read verses 14 – 21. Imagine you are the mute man who has his demon removed. How does it feel the instant you realize that you are free?
Why does Jesus exorcise people as a part of his ministry?
Why does some of the crowd react in a negative way to this gracious act?
Trace Jesus' argument with them. What does his argument teach us about the spiritual world?
What is an area in your life in which you need to experience spiritual freedom?
Read verses 24 – 26. Explain the spiritual world as described by this passage.
If evil spirits have a tendency of returning to a re-organized heart, how does a person make sure they stay away?
What is a bad habit that you find has a way of returning to your life over and over again?
How can you get freedom from this stronghold?
Read verses 29 – 32. Why are people asking for a sign from Jesus?
Why does this request frustrate Jesus so deeply?
Why does Jesus argue that two Gentile examples are facing a better time at judgment than his own generation will?
What is the sign that we have that Jesus really is who he claims to be?
What are you going to do tonight to show that you accept his sign?
Read verses 33 – 36. What is the light that Jesus is referring to in this parable?
Compare and contrast how good spiritual eyes and bad spiritual eyes function in life?
Why is it so important to have good spiritual eyes?
How does a person go about acquiring good spiritual eyes?
Read verses 39 – 43 and 46 – 52. Why might some scholars argue that Luke added verse 41 as an editorial note?
Even if he did, does that really change the way we look at that verse?
Compare and contrast Jesus' teaching and the religious leaders view of cleanliness.
Why does Jesus focus on internal cleanliness?
What cleaning does your heart need?
Describe some of Jesus' criticisms of the lifestyle of the religious leaders.
What would you say is the primary issue between Jesus and the religious leaders?
What woe might Jesus say to you if you were one of the religious leaders?
Why is it particularly bad to prevent others from involvement in God's kingdom?
What are some ways that your tendencies are violently opposed to God's kingdom?
How do you tend to make it difficult for others to experience God's design?
What is the process you will go through to change when you discover these patterns in your life?
What is usually your first clue that you are about to get seriously ill?
Read verses 11: 2 – 4. How would you describe the prayer that Jesus teaches his disciples?
For each element of the prayer, why does he have his disciples pray that way?
How does your prayer life need to change based upon the example Jesus gives?
Pray the Lord's prayer together as a group to help memorize the example.
Read verses 9 – 13. How do Jesus' promises in this passage make you feel as you hear them?
What is the scope of the promises that Jesus makes?
Why does Jesus use a relationship with a parent to illustrate our relationship with God?
How should the perspective this text gives alter your prayer experience this week?
Read verses 14 – 21. Imagine you are the mute man who has his demon removed. How does it feel the instant you realize that you are free?
Why does Jesus exorcise people as a part of his ministry?
Why does some of the crowd react in a negative way to this gracious act?
Trace Jesus' argument with them. What does his argument teach us about the spiritual world?
What is an area in your life in which you need to experience spiritual freedom?
Read verses 24 – 26. Explain the spiritual world as described by this passage.
If evil spirits have a tendency of returning to a re-organized heart, how does a person make sure they stay away?
What is a bad habit that you find has a way of returning to your life over and over again?
How can you get freedom from this stronghold?
Read verses 29 – 32. Why are people asking for a sign from Jesus?
Why does this request frustrate Jesus so deeply?
Why does Jesus argue that two Gentile examples are facing a better time at judgment than his own generation will?
What is the sign that we have that Jesus really is who he claims to be?
What are you going to do tonight to show that you accept his sign?
Read verses 33 – 36. What is the light that Jesus is referring to in this parable?
Compare and contrast how good spiritual eyes and bad spiritual eyes function in life?
Why is it so important to have good spiritual eyes?
How does a person go about acquiring good spiritual eyes?
Read verses 39 – 43 and 46 – 52. Why might some scholars argue that Luke added verse 41 as an editorial note?
Even if he did, does that really change the way we look at that verse?
Compare and contrast Jesus' teaching and the religious leaders view of cleanliness.
Why does Jesus focus on internal cleanliness?
What cleaning does your heart need?
Describe some of Jesus' criticisms of the lifestyle of the religious leaders.
What would you say is the primary issue between Jesus and the religious leaders?
What woe might Jesus say to you if you were one of the religious leaders?
Why is it particularly bad to prevent others from involvement in God's kingdom?
What are some ways that your tendencies are violently opposed to God's kingdom?
How do you tend to make it difficult for others to experience God's design?
What is the process you will go through to change when you discover these patterns in your life?
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