Matthew 4:12-23 – Following Jesus

Life group notes for 22 Jan 2017

1. Have you ever been part of a club or a group, what did you have to do to be a member? 
2. What do you think Jesus is trying to communicate to people in v17? Why would does it matter today? 
3. Who does Jesus call to follow him and how does he explain what he is calling them to do? 
4. How is the cost of following Jesus shown in this passage? 
5. Can you share an example of how Jesus’ lordship has affected your life? 
6. Repenting (turning our lives around) and following Jesus is on one hand a terrifying thought. What convinced or would convince you that it is worthwhile to live for Jesus?

Matthew 5:21-37 – Getting to the heart of God’s law

Life Group Notes for 12 Feb 2017

1. Have you ever used a saying or a word, only to discover that it meant something else? 
   

Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount, you may like to spend some time looking at the whole sermon Matthew chapters 5-7 later in the week. It ends with the crowds…‘amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority.’
Matt 7:28-29

We would probably want to agree with everything Jesus talks about in theory. However in practice, living in a broken world, we may struggle to accept some of these things. 

1. Jesus repeats the phrase “you have heard that it was said”. Jesus is teaching the law, something they would have known very well. So why does it seem like Jesus is teaching something new?
   
2. We may think that we have never murdered anyone, so we don’t need to listen. How does Jesus get our attention? What does he say about our attitudes and thoughts?
   

4. How serious is our sin or law breaking according to v22?

5. To what lengths should we go to, to avoid these things?

6. What hope do we have knowing that we can never keep these commandments?

You may want to reflect on 1 Peter 2:22-25, 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Matthew 10:24-39 – A radically new life!
Life group notes 25 June 2017

1. What have you given up or sacrificed for career, family, to develop a skill or devote yourself to something?
   

In Matthew 10:5 to 11:1 we see teaching about the Christian mission. In 10:17-22 Jesus speaking to his disciples says:

Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged…On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles…You will be hated by everyone because of me…

Jesus is preparing both his disciples and us as we begin to understand how the radical nature of discipleship and the great commission given in Matt 28:18-20.

2. The Reformation Study Bible says: ‘The Bible consistently teaches that fear and reverence are appropriate responses to God.’ What reasons are we given in v26-31 to both fear and revere God?

3. Romans 6:1-11 gives a picture which explains the enormity of coming to Jesus and following him. How does it help us as we seek to understand Matthew 10:32-38?

4. How is following Jesus both a help and a challenge in day to day life? Or how does it make life easier, more bearable and sometimes possible? How does it make it more difficult, more painful?

Challenge

Pray that the Holy Spirit would help you put Jesus above everything else! Ask him to help you give up anything getting in the way.

Matthew 20:1-16 – Taken aback by Grace

From Sunday 24 September – Matthew 20:1-16

1. Have you ever been overwhelmed by someone’s kindness or generosity?

   Read Matthew 20:1-16
   

2. Why is it so important to know that this passage is not talking about salvation? What would it imply if it was?

3. How would you describe or explain what God’s grace is to someone?

4.What is it that has most helped you understand God’s grace for yourself? If you are unsure about what grace is, what would help you?

5. How does grace and salvation by faith alone set Christianity apart from other religions?

6. Those listening to the story may have had all sorts of reasons to complain. Pharisees and Jews who often felt they were justified by keeping the law, the disciples who had given up everything to follow Jesus. What might lead us to grumble against God’s kindness, mercy and grace.

7. How can we communicate and share the grace of God with people?

Matthew 24:36-44

Listen below or download the talk from Advent Sunday 2016.

1. Have you ever been caught off guard, forgotten a birthday, an exam or meeting up with someone? What happened?
2. In what ways will Jesus’ second coming be like the days of Noah?
3. What is the difference between those who are taken and those who are left? What is shocking about Matthew 7:21-23?
4. What happens when we forget Jesus’ criteria for salvation and begin to think it is about what we do?
   
   
5. What does the short story/parable add to what Jesus is saying? v43-44
6. Are you looking forward to Jesus’ return, are you confident about the outcome?
   

Pray that Jesus will open the eyes of those who do not currently know him and for whom his return will be a disaster!

Matthew 28:16-20 – Being disciple makers!

Listen below or download the talk from 11 June 2017.

1. Who is the most powerful or influential person you have met? How far does their influence reach?
2. Why is it so significant that Peter was included in Jesus’ great commission? (See Matt 26:31-35, 69-75) How might this encourage us?
3. What elements make up Jesus’ commission in v19-20? And why can Jesus call everyone to follow and obey him?
4. What kind of evidence or witness might there be in our lives that we live for Jesus? Is our witness and love for Jesus as obvious as our love for (the thing you enjoy telling others about)? e.g. Favourite books, trip to the Philharmonic, your home or garden, Holidays…
5. Do we feel able to speak about Jesus and call others to follow him? If not, why not?
6. Who is missing from Christ Church? Who do we overlook to invite to church or to speak about Jesus with? In what way are we going out to the world?

Challenge

Share whether you have had opportunities to speak to the people you were praying for during ‘Thy Kingdom Come’. If you haven’t been praying for people, share who you would like to commit to pray for.

Luke’s gospel begins with these words  Luke 1:1-4:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eye witnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Luke investigated eye witness accounts, of those who had seen and heard what Jesus had said and done. In order that those who read it, like his friend Theophilus might know how reliable and certain the things they had heard about Jesus were. We pray that by listening to these talks you may become convinced of the truth of all that Jesus said and did.

Luke 4:14-21 Christians Against Poverty Money Course Launch

Life Group notes for the week beginning 29th Jan 2017
Luke 4:14-21 and Hebrews 13:8

Some discussion questions from Luke 4 and the Christians Against Poverty talk

Read Luke 4:14-21 and Hebrews 13:8

1. If you had to list the priorities of the Christian church what would they be?

2. From the reading in Luke what surprises or interests you about the quote Jesus reads from Isaiah?

3. In her talk Shirley read Hebrews 13:8 ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.’ and said:

“Jesus is the unchanging one. He is constant. He is faithful. We don’t need to worry that God loves us, because he was loving yesterday, he loves us today and will love us forever. We do not need to worry if God will have mercy, because his word tells us His mercies are new every morning and that he will forever be merciful and forgive us.
And if Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, then what about us? What about you and I, the body of Christ; the body of the unchanging one? Do we, as Christ’s church, look like the first church;…Do we display the radical love and compassion of Jesus himself? Can we be accused of being a ‘friend of sinners?’ of hanging out with the wrong crowd? Because that’s what Jesus did.”

Discuss this statement

5. How should our confidence in Christ enable us to live radically different lives?

Pray for one another and for our church, that we might seek to bring people to know Christ and make a difference to those in need. Pray for the CAP Money Course and consider coming along so that you can share it with others.

This week take some time to reflect on how you can ‘proclaim good news to the poor….and help…set the oppressed free through Christ.

Luke 4:16-24 Bible Sunday 2016
Listen or download the talk from Luke 4 by Elaine White.

Questions from Luke 4

1. Share a verse, book or story from the Bible that has inspired or affected you in some way.

2. In Luke 4 who does Jesus claim the Old Testament and the Prophets were speaking about? How will knowing this help us as we read the Bible?

   See 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and 2 Corinthians 1:18-22

3. How does Jesus continue to fulfil this prophecy from Isaiah today? You may want to speak about an experience of your own.

4. Familiarity blinded the people to Jesus’ true identity, “isn’t this Joseph’s Son?”. We can all overlook or underestimate Jesus and often the Bible too. Share how you renew or remind yourself of your relationship with Jesus or of the value of the Bible.

5. Read Psalm 19 and pray about how you would like the Bible to impact you each day and grow in your love for the Lord.

Luke 15:1-10
Listen or download a talk from Luke 15, as Jesus speaks about seeking the lost.

You might like to think about these questions as you read the passage or listen to the talk.

Questions on Luke 15:1-10 from Sunday 11 Sept 2016

1. Share or think of a time when you went looking for something that was lost.
   
2. What objections might people have to us sharing our faith about Jesus?
   
3. Who is Jesus telling these stories to and what had upset them so much? v1-3
4. What encourages you about the stories Jesus told? What do they tell us about Jesus? v4-10
5. Share your experience of being found by Jesus. If you’ve not had that experience share what has stopped you from knowing Jesus as your saviour.
   
6. Find a way to celebrate the amazing news that Jesus has saved you! Think about how we might celebrate this as a church.
   
7. Who do you want to speaking to about Jesus?

Luke 16:19-31 Sunday 25 Sept 2016

Listen or download the talk on Luke 16 by Ted Dew.

Questions on Luke 16

1. Do you feel rich or poor?

2. How might Jesus’ story sound simply like the rich are bad and the poor good? What was the difference between the two? Luke 16:27-31

3. How does the mans lack of generosity to Lazarus parallel his feelings toward God? What other passages on generosity could we read? e.g. James 2:15-16, Matt 6:1-4

4. Does the story from Luke 16 frighten you or make you feel thankful? Do you need to do something in response?

5. Looking at the big picture, not just the here and now, how important is the choice to repent and seek God’s grace?

6. Last week sharing God’s love and joy drove us to pray for others. What other motivation are we reminded of this week, especially praying for those who don’t know Jesus?

Pray for the Holy Spirit to move you to repent or give you opportunities to share Jesus with others.

Luke 17:11-19

Read the talk and the passage from Sunday 9th Oct 2016.

Questions on Luke 17:11-19

1. Are you naturally thankful or prone to disappointment or ungratefulness?
2. How does this miracle compare with what happened in Luke 5:12-16?
3. What is the surprising outcome of the miracle? See v15,16
4. What blessing does the man who returned receive, that the others didn’t? v19
5. What does Jesus expect of those who have received a miracle? See v17-18. Salvation is a miracle, have we acted like the 9 men or the one who returned in our response to Jesus?
6. If you are a Christian then you have so much to be thankful for, not just God’s daily provisions but also our new spiritual identity, life and gifts in Christ. Share some of God’s gifts that you are most thankful for?
7. Share a practical way in which you can make giving thanks to God a daily part of your life.

Further reflection

Spend some time giving thanks to God for his goodness to you. You may want to use the words of a Psalm or read Colossians 1:1-23 for inspiration.

Luke 23:33-43

Life group notes 20 Nov 2016

Christ the King – Merciful, Sacrificial and Forgiving

1. Think about how people react to dangerous situations? What is our instinct if we encounter something scary? 
2. What is Jesus’ reaction to those who have put him on the cross? What does it tell us about Jesus? 
3. In v35-39 Jesus is mocked and told to save himself from the cross? What would have happened if he had chosen to save himself? 
4. What does the criminal in v40-42 recognise firstly about himself and about Jesus? 
5. What does the Criminal’s request in v42 show he believes about Jesus? 
6. How do Jesus’ words in v43 challenge the way we think about death?

Give people the chance in your groups to respond in humility before Jesus, maybe ask people to stay behind if they want to ask Jesus to be their King.

Pray to God the Father to help someone you know who is unclear about who Jesus is, to see clearly and turn to him.