Group Guide

July 30th, 2023

This Week's City 7:

1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)

Ice-Breaker:

What is something you are looking forward to?

Discussion Questions:

Have someone read Luke 22:7-38 aloud.

In Luke 22:7 we see the disciples securing the upper room for Jesus. He wanted a place to be able to celebrate Passover with them, but this one was going to be special. Jesus was eager to celebrate THIS Passover because of what He was about to become... the perfect Passover Lamb. He share the Last Supper with them. He told them to take the bread that was His body, and drink the wine that was His blood. And he told them, and us, to "do this in remembrance of me." Communion should point us BACKWARDS to remember and FORWARDS towards hope and anticipation. When was the last time you were reminded of what Jesus did? When was the last time you consciously thought about it? When was the last time you truly thought of His motive behind His sacrifice?
The disciples step in it once again and try to turn the night into arguing about who will be greatest in His Kingdom. He told them that in His upside down Kingdom, the first will be last and the last will be first. The leader should be a servant. Jesus didn't REBUKE greatness. He REDEFINED it. He flips the script. What does this look like in your life? How do you put this principle into practice in your day to day, at home? Work? In your relationships?
In verse 31 we see Jesus predicting that Peter would deny Him. Peter, of course, isn't having this. He swears that he will go to prison or even die for Jesus. But we know how the story plays out. While you might not verbally deny Jesus, how might you deny Him in more subtle ways?
Jesus tells Peter that satan asked to sift the disciples like wheat, and that Jesus himself was specifically praying for him, that his faith would remain strong. Jesus was praying for Peter, and He intercedes for us, too! How does it strike you to imagine that Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, prays for you by name?
Jesus gave Peter something to do. He tells him that after he denies Him and has repented, that he is to strengthen and encourage his brothers. This is a beautiful picture of what discipleship in our own lives should look like. As we learn and grow and fail and repent, we are to then be an encouragement to those around us, using our stories to encourage others. How can you take steps to be more intentional about this in your own life? Who in your life needs your testimony and encouragement?

Prayer Topics:

That we would remember what Jesus did for us.
That we would look for ways to humble ourselves.
That we would look for ways to encourage outhers.

No Comments

Add Your Comment