Citizens

Matthew 5:31-32

August 16, 2017

Main Idea: Do not take apart what God has put together.

Matthew 5:27-30

August 9, 2017

Main Idea: God's people are a faithful people.

1. Why is unfaithfulness a heart condition?

2. What do we learn about God's desire and design for marriage in Genesis 2?

3. Why is it difficult living as a citizen of God's Kingdom while living in the Kingdom of the World?

4. Why do you think some people hesitate to use "deadly force" and make war against sin?

5. What do you need to cut off and pluck out of your life?

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Mark 2:13-17

July 31, 2017

Main Idea: Who's at your table?

Mark 10:17-31

July 29, 2017

Main Idea: All I need is you.

1. What is significant about the ruler's question to Jesus? What do you think was going on in his heart?

2. Do you find it surprising that such a successful and moral person feels like something is missing?

3. When in your life are you most aware that something is missing?

4. Many people in our day view Christianity as "something you can add or something you can do." How does Jesus smash these beliefs?

5. What did Jake mean when he said "Christianity is something you receive”?

6. Which of your views of Christianity have been challenged by Jesus?

7. How does this man probably feel when he realizes his heart is not as good as he believed?

8. Have you ever had that heart-breaking realization that you're not as good as you would have liked to think?

9. What are some common answers to the question, "How do I get to God?" How does Jesus teach you different?

10. Would you describe Jesus' conversation with this Ruler as a loving conversation? Why or why not?

11. "Jesus loves you so much that he won’t let you pretend to follow him while holding on to something else." What is Jesus showing you that you are holding on to in your heart?

12. In what ways are you like the Ruler? How are you different?

Mark 4:35-41

July 28, 2017

Main Idea: Who Do You Follow?

1. What did some of the disciples in the boat think about the fact that Jesus is sleeping in the midst of all this? What are some other thoughts that may have crossed their minds?

2. What did the sea represent in their culture? What are some things that would represent to us what the sea represented tothem?

3. How do people tend to react to those things? How do you respond?

What are some of the more difficult storms that you’ve experienced in life? What did you do?

4. What stands out to you about what Jesus did when he woke up?

5. Why is it significant that Jesus simply speaks?

6. What is the point of Jesus' question to the disciples? (What is the object of their faith? What do they believe in?)

7. Why do you think Jesus let His followers go through storms? How are we to respond?

8. How is Jesus different from every other human? What does Jesus have power over?

9. How is Jesus different from everything else that people follow?

Mark 4:1-20

July 29, 2017

Main Idea: Who Will You Follow?

1. Why does Jesus teach in parables (stories) like this one?

2. Who is the sower? Why is the picture of a sower a good metaphor for what Jesus is doing?

3. What does the seed represent? Why is the seed a good metaphor for the gospel? How has the gospel been like “seed” in your own life?

4. Let’s review: What are the four different soils? What happens in each of these soils?

5. What is probably going through each of these people’s (soils) minds and

heart?

6. What are some things that would cause this situation to happen in our own

lives?

7. What kind of soil is your heart right now? Do you see any of these tendencies in yourself?

8. What are some of the birds, rocks, or thorns in your life that threaten to keep

the gospel from taking root in your heart? Who have you told? What is our responsibility to each other when we share these with each other?

9. Have you heard and understood the gospel for yourself? What is your response?

10. Where are you at in your relationship with Jesus?

11. What should we do when we realize that we aren’t good soil and soft hearts?

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Matthew 5:21-26

July 19, 2017

Main Idea: God's people don't just avoid murder but pursue peace.

1. What's at the heart of God's command to not murder?

2. Do you tend to store up anger in your heart?

3. How does being at odds with others get in the way of our relationship with God?

4. How does God's action toward us, in Jesus, inform our actions toward others we're not right with?

Matthew 5:17-20

July 12, 2017

Main Idea: Those who want to walk with God follow Jesus.

1. Why do some Christians think that they can live however they want and ask for forgiveness later?

2. How did the author of Psalm 119 view God's instructions?

3. What does it mean that Jesus "fulfills the law"?

4. How should v.19 affect our friendships in this community?

5. Why is Jesus better than the law?