Sunday May 22nd - Faith That Overcomes

Facing Faithward - Faithful Endurance

Discussion Questions:  

DISCUSS Discipleship: 

Learning how to live a life that loves and obeys Jesus and helps others do the same.  How do you follow Jesus?  

How does the gospel both free and motivate you to love and obey Jesus?  

DIVE INTO THE TEXT 

Read Matthew 28: 16-20 

Who is this command given to? 

What is the link between Jesus’ authority and his command to us?  

What are the implications for us? 

What are disciples? 

What does it mean to ‘make disciples’? 

What is the difference between making converts and making disciples? 

How can we incorporate what we have decided into our individual lives and to our group?

Discussion Questions:  

Luke 10:25-37   

1. How many times have you heard this story of the ‘Good Samaritan?’ Did you learn something new this time?  

2. Often, the first part of verse 27 – “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind’” – gets lost in the story. How is it important to the setup of the parable?  

3. How do you define – “neighbour”  

4. Which of the acts that the Good Samaritan does is hardest for you? (Compassion, Physical Ministry, Time or Money)  

5. What is the message from this passage God has for you?  

6. What might be the message from this passage that God has for our church family?  

7. How can we start to do the same?

Re-Look is our new teaching series on what it means to be God's church -who we are, how we relate to one another, and how we follow Jesus together.

Discussion Questions:

Discussion Questions:

Discussion Questions:

Discussion Questions:

Discussion Questions: 

1. Paul writes to Titus who is on the island of Crete.  He gives a small insight into the Cretan society and culture when he quotes a poet of the time.  He says: “Someone said from out of their own, a prophet from among them: Cretans always are liars, evil beasts, idle bellies. This testimony is true. What do you make of this statement? What does this tell us about the history and culture of Crete 2000 years ago in the context of being an island nation in the Mediterranean world. Try searching for information about Cretan culture and family life in the first century AD and discuss the differences between that culture and ours in 21st century New Zealand.  

2. Paul writes a description of the characteristics that are looked for in elders of the church and gives a list of what to avoid as well. In the light of Cretan culture why do you think he also wrote a list to avoid? Paul also writes on the same topic to Timothy (1 Timothy 3). What are the similarities and differences in these descriptions of Elders? Does Timothy being in Ephesus and Tutus being in Crete make a difference? What do you think these scriptures say about women being in leadership in the church?  

3. Paul teaches strongly to Titus about Christian living and how this is a powerful way of sharing the gospel, and not bringing Jesus or his gospel into disrepute.  What is our response in the 21st century to this same call on our lives? What do we need to change to bring a fresh clarity to our own lies as we meet and work and live our lies with those that do not know Jesus yet so that they more clearly see and experience the life transforming love of Jesus? Make a list and commit with one person to change something in your life to make Jesus better known to those around us that do not know him yet.