We all need rest. But where do we get it? And how does Jesus offer it? On two separate occasions Jesus shows the Pharisees (and us) how badly we misunderstand the nature of rest, and clarifies that true rest is only found in him.

Application Questions: 

1. What are areas in life you tend to "human-splain" to God about how things should be?

2. How do you usually pursue rest?

3. Is your pursuit of rest primarily self-focused or God-focused?

4. How is Jesus' vision for Sabbath rest more conservative or libertine than you expect?

5. What is one thing you can do to pursue more God-oriented Sabbath rest on a weekly basis?

Against the assumption of many, Christianity will inevitably bring joy into the human heart. In this passage from Luke, we find Jesus bringing joy to a tax collector and his friends. When pressed, he describes life with him as a wedding celebration. This morning we will look at the joy Jesus brings and see what it can mean for our own lives following him.

Application Questions: 

1. Do you naturally associate Christianity with joy? Why or why not? 

2. In what ways do you see "religion" (apart from Christ) keeping you from joy? 

3. How can you embrace the joy Christ offers you this week in your own life? 

On this unity Sunday we step back to explore the importance of community, why we all need it, and why we all tend to find it more difficult than we expect.

Application Questions: 

1. Who is are you traveling the journey of life with?

2. What makes living in community with others difficult for you?

3. How do you see comparison in your heart pushing others away?

4. How do you see pride in your heart pushing others away?

5. How does the gospel set you free from the prison of comparison and pride?

Jesus' ministry is full of healing: the blind see, the lame walk, and the sick are raised to full health. This passage describes two healings in detail, and they teach us about the healing of Jesus overall. Jesus heals a leper, addressing a variety of needs with his grace. He touches a man many considered untouchable, demonstrating a rich compassion for those in need. And when Jesus heals a paralyzed man, he surprises everyone by diagnosing and addressing his greatest need and our own.

Application Questions: 

1. How can the comprehensive healing of Jesus give you more patience, endurance, and love in your life now? 

2. What would it look like for our church community to follow Jesus lead and refuse to keep others at arms length, especially in their places of greatest need? 

3. Do you agree with Jesus' diagnosis that your greatest need is the forgiveness of your sins? How does your answer influence the way you live? 

Jesus invites his followers on an adventure. It's unlike anything they ever expected, and unlike anything they could have imagined. But, at times, the journey will be confusing. In encountering Jesus, Peter shows us how to respond when the invitation of Jesus is confusing and why, following him anyway leads to greater joy than we ever thought possible.

Application Questions: 

1. What is something God has called or instructed you to do that didn't seem to make any sense?

2. How do you tend to respond when God's instructions don't make sense to you? How often do you walk by faith and not by sight?

3. Can you recount a time when you have been completely overwhelmed by the reality and presence of God?

4. What is your life about? Why does God have you here in LA? And do your answers to those questions reflect God's kingdom-oriented call on your life?

Luke shows us what Jesus' ministry was like in several snapshots. He teaches with an astonishing authority, he heals with a compassionate authority, and he raises up the needy to a kind of life serving him. When we understand Jesus this way, we'll find the same things happening to us.

Application Questions: 

1. How have you been astonished by Jesus authority as the Author of all things? 

2. Where do you see a need for compassionate authority in the lives of people around you, or in your own life? 

3. How have you seen Jesus' authority transform your life?

Prayer is hard and it's easy for us to get distracted. But, there are two things that can fuel our prayer life and draw us into a deeper intimacy with God. One is remembering who it is we're talking to: the one who hears and acts. The other is who we're praying about. When our hearts are captivated by a love for others we're able to take our eyes off ourselves and pray, not just for our own needs, but even more fervently for the needs of those around us.

Application Questions: 

1. When you pray, are you confident the Lord hears you? How can you be reminded of this as you enter into prayer?

2.When you pray, are you expectant that the Lord will answer you? How can you be reminded of this as you enter into prayer?

3. Who do you generally spend more time praying for, yourself or others?

4. Who around you is struggling and in need of your prayer?

Jesus begins His ministry in and around His hometown- and immediately He challenges the people. He challenges their authority. He challenges their mission. And He challenges their allegiance. This same Jesus challenges us the same way today.

Application Questions: 

1. How is Jesus different than the people expected the Messiah to be?

2. What are the initial reasons the people begin to question Jesus?

3. How does Jesus go from being "glorified by all" to being almost murdered?

4. How does Jesus challenge your authority in your life? How does He challenge your mission? How does He challenge your allegiance?

The temptation of Jesus is a shock to our system as modern people, but we need it to face the realities of our world and the struggles in our own hearts. When we look at the setting in the wilderness, the Devil's temptations, and Jesus' response, we learn about fighting our own temptations through Christ.

Application Questions: 

1. Have you experienced "the wilderness" in your own life? 

2. Do you struggle believing in supernatural evil? Do you struggle believing that Jesus really underwent temptation?

3. Where can you identify temptation in your own life?

4. How can you fight temptation using Scripture and the gospel this week?

Certain sections of scripture cause our modern eyes to glaze over, but ancient eyes cherished the genealogies of Jesus Christ. Looking back over the ancestors of Jesus, we find some names we recognize and many others we don't. These generations teach us about how God fulfills his promises, how Jesus comes to bring good news to all people, and how in Christ our deepest hopes make contact with the real world.

Application Questions: 

1. How can this list of names help you trust God's promises more in your own life?

2. What are ways God's grace in Jesus can meet you when you feel insignificant or undesirable?

3. Jesus is divine perfection breaking into our human world. How can that give you hope in the midst of your daily life?