Church of The Open Door

Discipleship Questions

“Storm’s a-Comin’”

Luke 6:46-49

 

 

The first step in obeying Christ is declaring Him as Lord.

The right approach is to come to Jesus, hear from Jesus, and live for Jesus.

Come:

Hear:

Live:

Storms and Torrents ALWAYS expose the foundation.

Spiritual grit comes from a life anchored to Jesus.

Trials are a blessing.

Discipleship Questions

“Flood Watch”

Luke 6:46-49

The question

Why do you claim to know me intimately and ignore everything I say? (Matthew 7:21-23)

The ideal

Come | Listen | Follow (Matthew 11:28-30)

Follow, learn, become = discipleship)

The obedient

Building a foundation that stands firm = the instruction of Jesus

Solid rock = Petra (Matthew 7:24-25)

God’s desire: dig deep

The disobedient

Building on the surface which ends in ruin = the instruction of man

Sandy ground = ammos (Matthew 7:26-27)

God’s warning: hearing is not enough

The floodwaters

Not if, but when

God sends the floodwaters for our good (Ezekiel 13)

Rock | foundation | structure = God’s handiwork (Ephesians 2:9)

Core CHRIST-like Characteristics: Relates with other-centered love, Spirit-led servant

Special Musical Track: Solid Rock (Acoustic) by. Unspoken | https://youtu.be/B9N4Jol9bNs

 

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Begin Life Group with prayer - invite the Holy Spirit to speak and move among you.

Ice breaker: describe your most epic experience building a sand castle or a snow fort/igloo. Did it last long? How did you go about building it to last or not?

Study together 1 Peter 2:4-12 and use the following questions:

Peter, whose name given by Jesus means “living rock” uses that language here for whom?

Isaiah 26:18 is referenced in verse 6 - read that from Isaiah and compare to what Peter says here - what do you notice?

In 7-8 there are those who trust and those who reject. What is the picture Peter uses for those who reject and what does it mean?

Verses 9-11 speak to those of us who wish to obey - what can you gather from this and the whole passage about what the rock, foundation and structure should look like as we obey?

How can we best help each other build properly?

End your time in prayer over these things. Pray for the floodwaters that may be in the lives of your group members and for a new perspective of God exposing our foundation and desiring to help us dig deeper into Jesus and to build properly on Him.

Discipleship Questions

“Solid in the storm”

Luke 6:46-49

 

Question: Do your actions reflect a life ruled by Jesus?

Jesus doesn’t require obedience because “I said so.”

He desires obedience because a storm is about to blow.

Jesus didn’t promise us safety FROM the storm.

He promised a place to stand solid IN our storm.

God uses His faith-fullness in our storms to encourage others in theirs.

Question: Will you stand solid in the storm?

 

 

 

 

 

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

What is the craziest storm (blizzard, tornado etc.) you’ve encountered in your life?

Jesus often uses everyday images like sand, stone and storms to teach his followers. What stands out to you about a house built on sand vs. stone?

Name some common ways people call Jesus “Lord” but don’t follow his teachings.

What are some sand-like foundations you have built your life on? How did they hold up under difficulty?

If Jesus warns us that a storm bent on destruction is coming, why are so many Christians surprised when it comes? What needs to change?

Who is someone that has modeled a life of standing solid on Jesus teachings even during extreme difficulties? How has that encouraged you?

What is a storm (current or past) that challenged your faith in Jesus teachings?

How are you sharing God’s faithfulness during storms in your life to encourage other members of this church?

CHRISTlike Characteristic: All of them! This is all about becoming like Him completely.

Discipleship Questions

Built to Last

Luke 6:46-49

The most important question you can answer: What will you do with Jesus?

Reject Him

Incorporate Him

Acknowledge Him

Surrender to Him

Application: How have you responded to Jesus? Does Jesus have your heart?

 

 

What we’ve done with Jesus will be revealed.

 

We show that Jesus is Lord by our obedience, not just by our words: True faith includes allegiance, not just assent.

We show that Jesus is Lord by our dependence: We build our life on who or what we obey.

We show that Jesus is Lord by our response: What you do in difficulty reveals your foundation.

Take Home Truth: Only a life built on the foundation of Christ is built to last.

Discipleship Questions

“Of Trees and their Fruit”

Luke 6:43-45

The fruit of a person’s life reveals the condition of their heart.

The success of a fruit tree is measured over a period of production.

Fruit WILL be produced.

Key Questions:

What a person stores up in their heart is revealed by what comes out in their actions.

Key Question:

What am I storing?

Your actions reveal who holds your heart.

Key Question:

Who or what am I worshiping?

Life Group Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

What stood out from the message today?

What does the fruit you produce say about your heart?

Each person is judged by their own fruit. When did you make your faith your own?

Have you seen a period of production in your life or do you tend to hold onto one “spiritual high?”

Do you have places in your home (or storage units) that store all your junk?

What are some of the negative things(junk) you tend to store in your heart?

UNPACK: Your actions reveal who holds your heart.

Read: Ezekiel 14:1-6

What stands out?

UNPACK: God wants your heart → Your WHOLE worship.

Personal Reflection

What kind of tree do YOU resemble?

Have you given God your heart? Who sits on the throne of your heart?

Expanding Your Circle of Love

Why We (For)give

Luke 6:37-38

Jesus’ point: We show mercy by giving pardon and possessions.

Forgiveness: “To release or pardon” when someone has harmed or offended you.

Giving: To give up material possessions to someone else.

The common thread: Christ is calling us to let go of things we tend to hold on to.

Why should we show mercy?

Because Jesus commands it, and that should be enough.

Because wisdom commends it, and Jesus wants us to know it’s worth

Because God models it; we give because God already

Take Home Truth: Only when we understand the mercy we’ve been freely given in Christ will we be free to give it to others.

Expanding Your Circle of Love

“Measuring Up”

Luke 6:37-38

Are we measuring up to Jesus’ standard?

Am I listening? (27a)

Am I loving well? (27b-35a)

Am I resembling the Father? (35b-36) (Matt 5:44-45)

What am I doing? (31, 37-38)

Truth:

God’s glory and presence fill the whole earth and universe - except the heart of man.

We do not measure up to God’s standard.

We do not hold others to a just standard.

God knew this and sent One who did measure up. (Eph. 3:19 NIV)

Jesus’ death on the cross pours life into those who believe in Him giving forgiveness and hope and peace to the fullest measure!

What does measuring up look like?

Accept the free gift of God in Christ

Invite Him to make His home in your heart - to make you more like Jesus

Display the character of God in how you love Him & others

judging | forgiving = release

condemning | giving = surrender

We do not forgive and give to get but to let go

It’s not about what I get, it’s about what God gets: glory & praise

We need to up our measurement to God’s standard

In Christ, He has forgiven and given to the fullest measure and poured it into our laps

He expects us to forgive and give to others with this same measurement!

Measuring up is a heart issue - allow God in to make your heart truly His home so His presence will fill the universe and you

Core CHRISTlike Characteristics: Relates with Other-Centered Love, Spirit-Led Servant

 

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Begin Life Group with prayer - invite the Holy Spirit to speak and move among you.

Ice breaker: Whether it was a job you worked or school or other moments in life, describe a time that you felt you didn’t measure up to the task or challenge in front of you.

Looking back over this series, what area do you feel you’ve grown in when responding to Jesus’ challenge to listen, love, resemble the Father and do good to others?

Thinking of that person who you struggle to forgive, or the one you don’t wish to give anything to, how can you take a step towards the love and generosity Jesus is talking about here?

How does the Hindu/Buddhist term “karma” compare and differ to what Jesus is teaching in this section?

Read Jesus’ story of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21-35. Apply Jesus’ instruction in this passage to the story - how does the story help elaborate on Jesus’ point? How can we live differently because of this?

End your time in prayer over these things. Encourage and strengthen each other as you pray especially in the growth we all need to be Spirit-led lovers who forgive and give abundantly for God’s glory!

Expanding Your Circle of Love

“Once you get it, you’ll give it”

Luke 6:37b-38

NOTES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lifegroup questions:

Do you believe there are things that are unforgivable? Explain.

Read Matt. 18:21-35. Who is speaking? According to this can I lose my salvation if I don’t forgive someone?

How do I know when I’ve truly forgiven someone?

Jesus commands his followers to be givers. Would you say you come to church to primarily give or receive? Explain.

Some ways to be generous with our lives included giving our time, attention, thoughts, words, and influence. Who has been a shining example of some of these to you?

What is a failure, wound or burden you received in life that Jesus has transformed as a gift to be given to help others?

According to Luke 6:38, what WILL change if we are dedicated to giving our lives more than receiving? How might this change our church?

Will you commit to forgiving always and giving your life extravagantly? What needs to change today?

 

Christ-like characteristic: Relates with other centered love.

Expanding Your Circle of Love

How do we put mercy into action?

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Luke 6:37-38

 

 

We are called to put mercy into action by FORGIVING.

In order to forgive, we need to LET GO.

 

 

 

We are called to put mercy into action by GIVING.

In order to give, we need to LET GO.

 

 

 

We are called to put mercy into action because it’s WORTH IT!

We live out mercy when we are generous with our FORGIVENESS and POSSESSIONS.

LifeGroup Questions:  Applying the Teaching to Our Life

1.) What stood out from the message?

2.) In what ways are you thankful for God’s mercy in your life?

3.) Have you ever struggled to forgive? How did you work through it?

4.) Has anyone ever forgiven you? Can you share the story?

5.) How has someone else’s generosity blessed you?

6.) Why is giving important?

7.) In what ways do you struggle with generosity?

8.) How does a Gospel focus help us show mercy?

9.) What would our families, churches, and communities look like if we began to truly live out mercy in our lives?

Expanding Your Circle of Love

“How to Judge Well”

Luke 6:37a,b; John 7:24

Jesus commands us to judge AND not to judge; which one is it?

We should judge because Jesus told us to judge.

We should judge because God made us to judge.

Assessing information

Forming and expressing an opinion

Distinguishing between choices

Exercising discernment

We should judge how Jesus told us to judge.

With righteous judgment

Correctly

Driven by love

By evaluating fruit

Being led by the Spirit

We should not judge when we are being judgmental.

Judging by mere appearances

Judging hastily

Judging prematurely

We should not judge when we are being unmerciful.

Exhibiting a critical spirit

Listening selectively

Ignoring our own faults.

We should not judge when we are being condemning.

Judging that is prohibited is judging that is condemning.

Sowing seeds of judgmentalism will reap a harvest of judgment.

We shouldn’t love to judge others, but we should judge others with love.