The Personal Price of Spiritual Revolution
Aug0
The personal price of spiritual revolution
Expanding the Expected Scope through Unexpected Catastrophes
Aug0
Expanding the expected scope through unexpected catastrophes
The Life Giving Power of the Spiritual Revolution
Aug0
The life giving power of the spiritual revolution
How to Deal with Official Opposition to Change
Aug0
How to deal with official opposition to change
A Compelling Example of a Solitary Changed Life
Aug0
A compelling example of a solitary changed life
What do I have to do to begin reflecting God’s light?
Apr0
Matthew 7: 7 – 11
What is absolutely the worst, least thoughtful, gift that you ever received from anyone?
Based on what we have seen up to this point in Jesus’ sermon, what are the kinds of gifts that Jesus is referring to in this passage?
Describe the pattern that Jesus gives in the text for receiving spiritual blessings from his Father.
Why does Jesus insist that the disciples must approach his Father in the kind of way he describes?
What are some internal attitudes that must exist in a person’s life for them to take the steps described in verses 7 – 8?
What do the promises of verses 7 – 8 have to say to those who are intensely skeptical of the gospel and of Jesus?
How humble are you in your approach to and relationship with God?
How can you develop more of this posture of humility in your life this week?
What could we do as a group to encourage one another towards this humble stance?
How does this process described in the passage demonstrate someone who is “poor in spirit” – recognizing their spiritual need?
Imagine you are the kid in verses 9 & 10. How would you feel if your parent treated you in that way?
Carefully trace the logic of Jesus’ argument in verse 11.
What is Jesus’ perspective on the human condition? Why is he not more affirming in their self-esteem?
Why do we find it so difficult to trust God yet so easy to trust other people?
Why does it seem sometimes that it is so difficult to locate God during our times of need?
How can we go about learning to trust God more in our everyday lives?
What is something for which you actually need to pursue God at this point in your life?
What steps are you going to take to do precisely that this week?
How can judgmentalism act as a spiritual fog?
Apr1
Matthew 7: 1 – 6
Describe in detail a time when you got something in your contact lens or in your eye.
Based on verses 1 – 2 what would Jesus say is the main problem with one of his disciples being judgmental towards someone else?
How is judging others incongruent with Jesus’ core values of the “merciful receiving mercy” or recognizing our spiritual need?
Imagine the situation illustrated in verses 3 – 5 actually occurring. In what ways would situation be humorous? In what ways would the situation be tragic?
How can a disciple’s own sin block them from effectively diagnosing and helping another follower of Jesus?
Who is someone you have hurt in your attempt to help them grow spiritually? How are you going to make amends for those wounds this week?
What sin are you struggling with in your life that decreases the value of your perception, insights, and advice in the lives of others?
How can a person help another disciple overcome sin without being judgmental or hypocritical?
What is a sin issue of which you need to repent so that you can be equipped to better help others follow Jesus? How can this group help you gain victory in that area of your life?
What point is Jesus trying to make in verse 6 about helping others in the quest to become better people?
What might be the dangers faced by a disciple who tries to encourage someone to growth who is antagonistic towards the gospel?
How can you determine when it is inappropriate to confront another person who is not living according to Jesus’ way?
How can worry act as a spiritual fog?
Apr0
Matthew 6: 25 – 34
Describe in detail your personal sense of style in your selection of your clothing.
Describe the kinds of things about which those who are listening to Jesus give this message are worried.
Why might those things be of particular concern for them in their given situation?
About what kinds of things do people in an urban center, such as our own, frequently worry?
Why does Jesus consider worry such a serious problem for his disciples?
Based on this whole passage, what would you define as the root problem for someone who finds their life caught up in a spiral of anxiety?
Describe the kinds of illustrations that Jesus gives concerning the silliness of a life of anxiety.
How might we paraphrase these illustrations into contemporary examples of the same principles?
How might values like “meekness” or pursuing “righteousness,” be better reflected by a victory over worry?
In what ways can worry distract us from what we should be the focused priority of our lives?
What are the kinds of things that tend to make you most anxious?
What encouragement do Jesus’ words here give you in dealing with your anxiety?
How can we as a group help you better apply these principles in your everyday life?
How can materialism act as a spiritual fog?
Apr0
Matthew 6: 19 – 24
What would you consider to be your most treasured possession?
Compare and contrast the best banks on planet earth with God’s treasury in heaven.
Why does it make any sense at all to invest with God rather than on the earth?
How would a person even go about investing treasure in heaven?
Why is Jesus concerned with where his disciples choose to invest their treasure?
In what location would you say the bulk of what you value most in life has been invested?
How does a person go about changing what they have come to find important?
How does this teaching reflect Jesus’ core values of being “poor in spirit” and “meek?”
Based on the context of this conversation, what might it mean to have “good eyes” or “bad eyes”?
How does a person’s cultured eye impact the internal desires of their heart?
How can our material desires negatively impact our spiritual life?
How caught up are your desires in things that are selfishly material or purely financial?
In what way does our neighborhood promote an attitude of materialism?
What are some tools that we can use to combat the negative effects of materialism in our lives?
What potential challenges come into a person’s life when they are working for two bosses?
What is it about God and Money that make them incompatible co-supervisors in someone’s life?
What is an appropriate role for money to play in the lives of Jesus’ disciples?
Why does unannounced deprivation act as a spiritual lens?
Apr0
Matthew 6: 16 – 18
What is your absolutely favorite meal, and why is it your favorite?
Why does Jesus assume that his disciples are going to be consistently fasting?
Why is Jesus emphasizing rewards so directly in his discussion of spiritual disciplines?
How might fasting from food for a period of time help someone begin to “hunger and thirst after righteousness?”
Obviously don’t answer this aloud, but when was the last time you skipped a meal to focus more on your spiritual life?
Why is fasting a discipline that is particularly difficult for American Christians to practice?
How does life in the city make fasting from food a very challenging thing to do?
How are you going to build into your life the discipline of fasting from food?
What are some other kinds of things from which you can fast besides the obvious choice of food and drink?
Select something in your life from which to fast this week. Why did you choose the thing you chose?
How would it feel to meet a person who, like the hypocrite in verse 16, is making their choice to fast obvious to those around them?
Describe the instructions that Jesus gives in verse 17. How would you paraphrase these principles for our contemporary situation?
Why is it so important to Jesus that self deprivation is practiced secretly?
What is a religious or moral act that you try to get personal attention for practicing?
If you are fasting on a particular day, is it wrong to ask someone to help hold you accountable? Is it wrong to tell a friend of family member of your decision if they invite you to eat with them? How illusive can we be with these topics without becoming dishonest?
What steps should you take this week to make your spiritual disciplines more private in your practice of them?
What are some spiritual disciplines that you really need to add to your life? How can we help you as a group to accomplish those things?