Group Guide
This Week's City 7:
5. Why do I follow Jesus? I follow Jesus because Jesus rose from the dead proving that He is the way, the truth and the life.
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
(Matthew 7:24-27; John 14:6)
Ice-Breaker:
Did you hate taking medicine as a kid? What kinds of creative ways did you parents use to get you to take it?
Discussion Questions:
Have someone read Luke 12:1-12 aloud.
- God's Word can be heavy and tough to read or hear. Sometimes it's just downright painful. This is why it's important to read and teach through Scripture, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, so that we aren't tempted to skip over things or pick and choose more feel-good verses. It's kind of like taking medicine. It's rarely a fun experience and sometimes it doesn't taste all that good. But it's exactly what you need. When you read Scripture or do devotionals, are you ever tempted to jump to more of the inspiring passages and skip over some of the heavier stuff? What might you be missing if you approach your study this way?
- In Luke 12, Jesus is warning his followers to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees. The yeast he's referring to is hypocrisy. The greek word for hypocrisy is a secular term used for actors on a stage, pretending to be something they're not. Just like yeast in dough, hypocrisy can work it's way through a people and lead them astray. Are you ever tempted to pretend to be someone you're not? Have you ever kept certain parts of your life or struggles you go through a secret, afraid of what people might think of you? What are the dangers of this way of living?
- The first point Jesus makes to his followers in Luke 12, and the first takeaway from Sunday, is that we should all FEAR God. Jesus is pretty explicit in his language. You might think, "Surely he doesn't mean to actually be afraid of God, right?" Actually, that's exactly what he means. Be afraid! And he gives 2 reasons. First, be afraid because God knows everything you've ever done, or will do, and one day he'll make it known. Second, we should fear him (not man) because he not only has the power to kill you, but also to send you to hell for eternity. WOAH! All man can do is kill your body, but God can condemn you for eternity. Jesus is basically asking, "Who do you fear most?" Do you care more about what HE thinks of you? Or are you more concerned with what people think of you? Question: do you find yourself being too concerned about what other people think of you? How do you know whose opinions you care about most?
- Next, we should CONFESS Jesus. Jesus said if we acknowledge him here on earth, he'll acknowledge us before God. Confessing Jesus is more than just a verbal commitment. It's about self-denial and submitting all aspects of your life to His control, as a slave to his master. It's about saying to him, "All I am is yours!" Is there a time in your life that you would've called yourself a Christian, but you weren't fully submitted to him? What are the differences in these two types of lifestyles, and how do you know the difference? What are the fruits of each of these lives?
- Finally, we should HEAR the Spirit. We need to listen to him as he testifies about who Jesus is. To continually deny this message is the unforgivable sin! But he will also always be with us, day to day. He will be there to comfort, strengthen, and teach us. He will be with us no matter what trials we encounter. He won't leave us when things get difficult. He'll be there even in the most trying of circumstances, even unto death. We should all learn what it means to "walk in the Spirit." What does that mean to you? How do you know if you have heard him speak to you? Describe a time or two when the Holy Sprit spoke to you and you were absolutely certain you were hearing from God.
Prayer Topics:
- That we would study Scripture... even the difficult parts.
- That we would seek to be the real deal follower of Jesus.
- That we would fear God.
- That we would submit our whole selves to Jesus daily.
- That we would learn to hear the Holy Spirit.
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