Sermon Guide

March 22: Luke 7:18-28

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? 

Key Takeaways:

1. Doubt isn't always a sign of weak faith - Even the greatest prophet struggled when reality didn't match expectations
2. Jesus doesn't shame honest questions - He responded to John with evidence and affirmation, not condemnation
3. Our expectations can become stumbling blocks - When we create our own standards for how God should work, we set ourselves up for disappointment
4. God promises His presence, not a problem-free life - "Even though I walk through the valley... You are with me" (Psalm 23)
5. We are greater than John - Not because we're stronger, but because we know the tomb is empty and can say "It is finished"

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think John the Baptist doubted? What was the gap between his expectations and his experience of Jesus?
2. How did Jesus respond to John's doubt? What does this tell us about how Jesus handles our honest questions and struggles?
3. What did Jesus mean when He said, "Blessed is the one who isn't offended by me"? How does the word "scandalon" (trap/stumbling block) help us understand this?
4. What expectations did you have about Jesus or the Christian life before you became a believer? Which of those have proven true? Which haven't?
5. Review the expectations mentioned in the sermon: Financial prosperity and good health, protection from war and suffering, freedom from persecution, children who follow Jesus, protection from early death or tragedy. Have you personally struggled with any of these? How has the gap between expectation and reality affected your faith?
6. Jesus will not ever be the Savior we always want Him to be... Jesus is in the business of giving you exactly what you need, not what you think you need. How does this statement challenge you? Encourage you?
7. Read Mark 9:24 - The father says, "I believe; help my unbelief!” Why is it significant that Jesus didn't shame this honest prayer? When have you needed to pray something similar? What keeps us from being this honest with God?
8. Sometimes our reactions to tragedy reveal we think we should be God and He should serve us. How can we tell the difference between honest lament (like the Psalms) and demanding God meet our expectations? What does healthy surrender to God's sovereignty look like in the midst of pain?
9. Jesus praised John publicly even after John's doubt, calling him the greatest person born of women. What does this teach us about how God views us in our struggles? How should this affect the way we treat others who are doubting?

Practical Applications:

1. Honest Inventory: Write down your current expectations of Jesus. Which are biblical? Which might you have created yourself? Bring the list to God in prayer, asking Him to align your heart with reality.
2. The "I Believe, Help My Unbelief" Prayer: Spend time each day this week praying with radical honesty about where you're struggling to trust. Don't perform faith you don't feel—bring your real doubts to Jesus.
3. Study God's Promises: Pick one area where your expectations haven't matched reality. Search Scripture for what God actually promises in that area (not what you assumed). Journal what you discover.
4. Encourage a Doubter: Reach out to someone you know who is struggling with doubt or disappointment with God. Follow Jesus' example—don't shame them, but point them to evidence of God's faithfulness.
5. Group Accountability: Share which application you're committing to this week. Check in with each other mid-week, and plan to report back next meeting on what God showed you.

 Sermon Guide

March 29: Luke 16

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? 

Key Takeaways:

1. We already have what we need - The gospel has been revealed through Scripture and the resurrection. The issue isn't lack of evidence but willingness of heart.
2. Live with the end in mind - Knowing that everyone dies and faces eternity should radically change how we live today.
3. Use temporary resources for eternal impact - God has given us finances, time, and opportunities to invest in gospel advancement and people's souls.
4. Be shrewd for the Kingdom - Bring the same urgency, creativity, and strategic thinking to Kingdom work that the world brings to temporary pursuits.
5. You cannot serve two masters - Our relationship with money reveals who or what we're truly serving.

Discussion Questions: 

The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

1. How does thinking about the end (death and eternity) change how you live in the present? Why do you think the rich man was in torment? What does this story reveal about what truly matters to God?
2. Abraham tells the rich man that his brothers "have Moses and the prophets." What does this mean for us today?
3. The rich man believed a miracle (someone rising from the dead) would convince his brothers. Jesus rose from the dead, yet many still don't believe. What does this tell us about the human heart?
4. What are you going to do with what's right in front of you? How do you answer that question?
5. Is there someone in your life (like Lazarus at the gate) that God has placed in your path whom you've been ignoring?

The Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-13)

6. Jesus says "worldly people are often better at playing the long game than people who follow Jesus." Do you agree? Why or why not? In what areas of life do non-believers sometimes show more urgency, creativity, or strategic thinking than Christians?
7. Money is a tool to be used, not a treasure to be stored. How does this challenge the way you view your finances? What does it mean practically to "use what won't last for what will"?
8. Jesus says we cannot serve both God and money (v. 13). How can you tell which one you're serving? What are some warning signs that money has become a master rather than a tool in your life?

Practical Applications:

1. Spend time in prayer asking God to reveal if there are any "Lazarus figures" in your life you've been ignoring. Identify one person in your life who needs to hear the gospel and take one concrete step toward sharing it with them this week
2. Examine your bank statements from the last month—what do they reveal about your priorities and what you're serving? Review your giving—are you faithfully and generously supporting gospel work locally and globally?
3. Write down three ways you could use your financial resources more strategically for eternal impact. Find one practical way to meet a physical need for someone while also sharing the hope of Christ.
4. For Families: Have a conversation with your family about how you're using your resources for God's Kingdom. Involve your children in a giving decision—let them help choose a missionary, ministry, or need to support.

Sermon Guide

April 5: Luke 18 & 24

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? 

Key Takeaways:

1. The disciples couldn't understand Jesus' predictions because they were looking for a different kind of Messiah
2. The resurrection wasn't Plan B—it was always the plan, woven throughout all of Scripture
3. We often need to remember what God has already said rather than waiting for something new
4. The empty tomb means death took its best shot and lost—we have nothing left to fear
5. Because Jesus walked out of the tomb, we can walk free

Discussion Questions: 

Read Luke 18:31-34 together

1. The disciples heard Jesus clearly predict His death and resurrection, but "they understood none of these things." Why do you think they couldn't grasp what Jesus was saying?
2. Have you ever had a moment where God was clearly speaking to you, but you couldn't understand it at the time? What helped you eventually see what He was saying?
3. The disciples were "so busy looking in a different direction for what they expected the Messiah to be, they couldn't possibly grasp what Jesus was telling them." What expectations do we sometimes bring to God that keep us from seeing what He's actually doing?

The Women at the Tomb: Read Luke 24:1-8 together

4. The women came to the tomb expecting to find a body to embalm, not a resurrection. What does this tell us about where their hope was at that moment?
5. The angels asked, "Why are you looking for the living among the dead?" and reminded them of Jesus' words. Why is remembering what Jesus already said so powerful?
6. They didn't get new information. They just had to remember the old information. When have you experienced breakthrough not from learning something new, but from remembering something God already told you?

The Road to Emmaus: Read Luke 24:13-32 together

7. Jesus walked through the entire Old Testament showing how it all pointed to Him. How does seeing Jesus throughout all of Scripture (not just the Gospels) change the way we read the Bible?
8. The two disciples were "prevented from recognizing" Jesus even though He was right there with them. When have you struggled to recognize God's presence even though He was with you? What moment or circumstance finally helped you see Him?
9. Some of the things Jesus has already said:

• "I am with you always"
• "There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus"
• "My grace is enough for you"
• "I will never leave you"
• "Come to me when you're weary and I will give you rest"

Which of these do you most need to remember right now in your current circumstances?

10. Too often we run into our difficult moments...and we're think, “I just need something new from you, Lord.”  He did already. What are you currently asking God for that He may have already answered in His Word? How can remembering the resurrection specifically give you hope in what you're facing right now?

Practical Applications:

1. Pick one of the promises Jesus made (listed in question 9) and write it on a notecard. Place it where you'll see it daily. When anxiety, fear, or discouragement hits, read it aloud and remember what He already said.
2. Read through one of the Old Testament stories mentioned in the sermon (Abraham & Isaac, Joseph, Passover, David & Goliath, or Jonah). Journal about how you see Jesus in that story differently now.
3. The women at the tomb became "the original evangelists." Share with one person this week what the resurrection means to you personally—how the empty tomb has changed your life.
4. Each day this week, write down one thing you're grateful for because "the tomb is empty." At the end of the week, review your list and thank God for His resurrection power in your life.

 Sermon Guide

April 12: John 1

What stood out to you most from the sermon? Why? 

Key Takeaways:

1. Jesus is fully God and has existed eternally - He was with God and was God from the beginning (John 1:1-2)
2. Jesus is the Creator of all things - Everything that exists was made by Him and for Him (John 1:3)
3. We were made by Jesus and for Jesus - Our restlessness comes from being separated from our true purpose (Colossians 1:16)
4. The darkness cannot overcome the light - Despite humanity's best attempts to extinguish Jesus, He conquered sin, death, and Satan (John 1:5)
5. Salvation comes through receiving Jesus, not earning it - It's not about bloodline, effort, or deserving—it's about God's grace (John 1:12-13)
6. Jesus brings both fullness of grace AND fullness of truth - We see both perfectly displayed at the cross (John 1:14, 16)

Discussion Questions: 

1. Read John 1:1-5. Why do you think John starts his Gospel so differently than Matthew, Mark, and Luke? What is he trying to communicate about Jesus right from the start?
2. If you really think you've got God figured out, you're far from getting it. Why is mystery an important part of our relationship with God? How does this comfort or challenge you?
3. How does understanding that Jesus is the Creator (John 1:3) change the way you view your own existence and purpose?
4. Read Colossians 1:16 and Augustine's quote: "You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Where have you been looking for rest and satisfaction outside of Jesus?
5. What "Christmas morning" moments have you experienced where you got what you wanted but still felt empty?
6. If I have been created by Jesus and for Jesus, then it makes sense why my job, relationships, nor anything else will never ultimately satisfy me. What areas of life have you been expecting to give you the satisfaction that only Jesus can provide?
7. Read John 1:5, 9-11. Jesus came as light into the world, yet many didn't recognize Him. Why do you think people miss Jesus even when He's right in front of them?
8. The Pharisees had all the information about the coming Messiah but still rejected Him. What warning does this hold for us as people who have Bibles, go to church, and know Christian practices?
9. Read John 1:12-14, 16-18. What does it mean that we receive "grace upon grace" like waves at the beach? Can you share a time when you experienced this overwhelming grace?
10. Jesus came with "fullness of grace AND fullness of truth.” Why is it dangerous to emphasize one without the other? Which do you tend to lean toward more naturally, and how can you grow in balance?
11. Two forms of arrogance were mentioned: "I deserve salvation" and "God can't possibly save me." Have you ever struggled with the second form? How does understanding grace combat both types of arrogance?

Practical Applications:

1. Read John 1:1-18 every day this week. Each day, write down one new thing you notice about who Jesus is.
2. Identify your "restless" areas. Make a list of things you've been pursuing for satisfaction. Pray over each one, surrendering it to Jesus and asking Him to be your ultimate source of rest.
3. Practice grace and truth together. Think of one relationship where you need to speak truth in love or extend grace. Take one concrete step this week.
4. Share the real Jesus. Have a conversation with one person this week about who Jesus truly is—not a cultural version, but the Jesus of Scripture.
5. Memorize John 1:12-13. Let this truth about being a child of God sink deep into your identity.
6. Support unreached peoples. Research one unreached people group and pray for them daily. Consider how you can invest time, talent, or treasure in reaching those who have never heard Jesus' name.