Let's be honest... we care about what people think about us. Great freedom happens when we release what people think and begin to live above the opinions of others. Obsessing about what people think is the quickest way to forget what God thinks about you. Sometimes pleasing people can mean disappointing people. But pleasing people first leads to disappointing God.

Fear can really mess with the work God is trying to do. Mary had a lot of faith and trust in God, showing us that through that faith God can do great things. We can do this, too, by saying the same thing as Mary, "I am the Lords servant." Don’t let your doubt get in the way of God using you.

What we call interruptions, God sometimes calls Divine invitations. God has shown his favor on Mary and that favor is the undeserved blessing from God. Through His choice of her being the one who would bear the Christ child, she felt the unbearable weight of fear. This Sunday, we watch her process of accepting God's divine interruption.

Group Questions:

1. When was the last time something unexpected happened to you?  

2. What is one thing that was impactful to you from the message?

3. Read Luke 1:26-35. How do you think Mary felt after hearing the angel's words?  

4. Talk about a time when you experienced an interruption. What were your feelings and what was your process of accepting God's new plan? What was one thing you saw that was good from this interruption?

5. What are some ways you can find comfort, peace, and direction when it feels like life is out of control? 

6. How can you practice the way of Christ this week with your family and friends?

If Jesus mission and strategy was to eat meals with others, then could that be my mission, too? Today is a look at Jesus' mission through the practice of eating meals with others and our challenge is to make that a regular part of who we are as Christ followers. We are Practicing the way of Christ at the table and doing as Jesus did.  

GROUP LIFE QUESTIONS:

1. How are you practicing the way of Christ in positive ways that is contributing to your spiritual growth? In other words, what is going well in your walk with Christ?

2. Visit one (or several) of the following meals in Luke's gospel and discuss as a group. Focus on who Jesus was eating with and the outcome of that meal they shared together.  

3. If possible, share communion together. Before partaking of communion, focus on a place that Jesus has taken authority in your life (Take), how your heart has been exposed by Jesus in community (Break), and how much the sharing of this journey means to you (Share). Use Luke 22:14-20 as a guide.

Worship is more than singing! It's a lifestyle to be lived out. Deep at the heart of our worship is the 'why' that we all need to find once again.

GROUP LIFE QUESTIONS:

1. When you hear the word worship, what do you think of?

2. What heart posture do you take most often when you worship?

3. What are some ways you worship the Lord?

4. How have you made God the top of your priority list? Have you?

5. What is an example of God calling you out of your comfort zone? Did you follow that call?

Meals have the power to shape and reshape community. At the table, over a meal, we can have a life-changing experience not because of the food, but because of the company. As a sinful woman crashes a dinner party with Jesus, she embraces Him because He is the hope she has been looking for. As Jesus sees her devotion and love for Him, He forgives her sins and teaches a lesson to all of us: at the table, forgiveness is possible.

Community Questions:

1. What has this past week been like for you? Have you been able to slow down and focus on Jesus in prayer and worship?

2. Who led you to faith in the Lord? What was their method in evangelizing?

3. What is your favorite part about a meal with others?  

4. Read Luke 7:36-44 in groups. Have the groups come back to the large group and discuss what they read/observed about Jesus, the pharisee, and the woman.  

5. End your time together by praying for one another and agreeing to check-in on one another throughout the week.  

You read that right! Two sermons with one big challenge. Sermon #1 will focus on the depth of God and end in the celebration of communion, while Sermon #2 will focus on the power of prayer and end with a time of intercession for one another. Don't miss two-sermon Sunday at Church on the Hill!

GROUP LIFE QUESTIONS:

1. What has the Lord been teaching you through your prayer time this past week?

2. Read Psalm 42:1-7. What would you suggest to someone who wants to go deeper in their relationship with God? What has worked for you?

3. Assign the following verses to individuals in your group and have them read aloud:

-Acts 12:5

-Acts 12:6-7

-Acts 12:11

-Acts 12:12-15

-Acts 12:16-18

Discuss the story of Acts 12 in its entirety. End your time together by having those in your group step forward and be surrounded by others and receiving prayer and ministry.  

God makes us wait for many reasons...among them to increase our faith and to allow us to build trust in Him. Today, we hear the testimony of James Roach, an attendee of Church on the Hill who was been on a journey back to God. James' journey has taken him through a rough home life, seasons of deep anger & atheism, and God has brought him back to a place of worship and faith. Today, we will hear James' journey.  

GROUP LIFE QUESTIONS: 

1. Divide your group into groups and assign the following to discuss:

- Abraham and Sarah waiting for a son ( Genesis 17)

- Job waiting for suffering to end (Job 37 & 42)

- Elijah waiting for Rain (1 Kings 18:41-19:8)

- Peter waiting for his release from prison (Acts 122)

2. Bring the groups back together and each answer the following:

What did you learn from this person (people) in God's word about waiting?

End your time in silent prayer, asking God's presence to fill this place and your hearts.  

God’s “NOs” help us fulfill our purpose, protect us from the enemy, and form our faith.

Group Life Questions:

1. What is the worst no you have ever received from God?

2. What spoke to you most from the sermon today?

3. Read Mark 14:36, Genesis 2:17, and 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 and meditate on the reasons why God’s answer was NO.

4. After listening to the sermon,

- A. Can you think of some ways that God’s NO has helped you fulfill your purpose?

- B. Can you think of ways that God’s NO has protected you and kept you safe?

- C. Can you think of a time when God’s NO has helped you grow in your faith?

5. How might you help someone who has turned away from God because they received a NO in answer to their prayer?

The depth of our friendship with God helps us to understand why He says yes and sometimes says no. Today, we journey into the depths of that relationship and examine all the times in life when God said yes to inviting us in, our salvation, our calling, our friendship, and our place in the family of God. Our "yes" to growth will lead us to greater depths in our friendship with God.  

Group Life Questions:

1. What stuck out the most from the message?

2. Read Romans 5:8. Briefly discuss how Christ found you. What has he saved you from?

3. Read Matthew 4:19-20. Aside from saving us, describe the calling that the Lord has placed on your life. What is your life's purpose?

4. Read John 15:15. Do you have a hard time accepting that Jesus is our friend? If so, how is that friendship going?

5. Read John 1:12. What does it mean to you to be a child of the Almighty God?  

6. End your time by praying for one another.