Forestgate

Sermon Notes

1. Messengers sent to declare news, not advice

2. Focused and committed to their mission.

3. Coming in humility and weakness, compelled by the needs of the crowd

4. Delivering a warning, often ignored and rejected

Questions for Reflection:

1. What are some ways you struggle with being a Messenger? How do you feel you might come off to others? or what are some fears you have with proclaiming the gospel?

2. What are some ways we can get off track and distracted from the mission God gave us?

3. How have you seen message sharing done poorly? What were they getting wrong about how they shared?

4. Why do you think that some reject this message, reject the gospel?

5. How can we have peace even though some people reject the message (and even the messenger)?

Sermon Notes

1. The disciples’ unbelief: lack of faith in the Son’s power, 37–42
2. The disciples’ indifference: lack of understanding about the Son’s mission, 43–45
3. The disciples’ arrogance: lack of humility in the Son’s presence, 46–48
4. The disciples’ combativeness: lack of awareness of the Son’s enemies, 49–50

Reflection questions

1. Whose unbelief does Jesus condemn in this passage? Compare Mark 9:18–25. What is the remedy for unbelief? (Consider this quote from Calvin’s Harmony of the Evangelists, II:325–6 – “As our faith is never perfect, it follows that we are partly unbelievers ... It is our duty in the meantime, carefully to shake off the remains of infidelity which adhere to us, to strive against them, and to pray to God to correct them, and, as often as we are engaged in this conflict, to fly to him for aid.”)
2. Is it wrong to strive to be great? Is it wrong to strive to the greatest, or greater than your brothers and sisters in Christ?
3. Read Luke 9:50. Now read Luke 11:23 (and the context). Who or what is Jesus denouncing in each verse? What common allegiance is he encouraging? What common enemy is present in both passages?

Sermon Notes

1. The Glory of the Greater Moses, 27–31
2. The Gaffe of an Overwhelmed Disciple, 32–34
3. The Greatness of God the Son, 34–36

Reflection questions

1. Phil Ryken writes: “Jesus prays before each new phase of ministry (e.g., Luke 3:21; 6:12; 11:1) ... this is most necessary when we are about to take up a new calling, such as school, work, ministry, marriage, parenthood, or retirement.” (Luke, I:470, emphasis added) What upcoming transitions should you be praying about?
2. Peter wanted the glorious presence of Christ to remain, and in his excitement, he also put Christ on a level with Moses and Elijah (cf v.33). How are we tempted to make the same errors: Desiring victory and glory before suffering (cf vv.23–27 from last week), or thinking too little of Christ? (Is 59:1, 16ff)
3. How have you been tempted this week to “listen” (v.35) to someone other than God’s Son? What steps could you take to focus more on Christ’s Word? See Psalm 1:2–3.

Sermon Notes

1. The Christ of God, 18–20
2. The Christ of the Cross, 21–22
3. The Servants of the Cross, 23–26

Reflection questions

1. Judas Iscariot was present with Peter and Jesus during Peter’s great confession, v.20. What does Scripture tell us about those who confess Christ but later deny Him? See 1 John 2:19
2. 1st-Century Israel wanted a king to free them from Roman occupation. (See John 6:14–15) They wanted Messiah to conquer by force instead of conquering by suffering (v22). In what ways do you seek to avoid suffering (which Christ says is inevitable for Christians) in this life?
3. Reflect on your own (or discuss, if you’re with a group) what this quote means: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” (Jim Elliot) And if you don’t already know his life story, Google Jim Elliot.

Sermon Notes

1. The searching need to know
2. The broken need fixing
3. The hungry need provision

Sermon Questions

1a) What are some life questions you think you'll never find the answer to?
1b) Has the Bible at least partially answered that question for you?
2a) If you could fix something broken in the world, what would it be?
2b) How has the coming of Jesus show us a glimpse of healing for that brokenness?
3a) What do you fear most that you might one day find yourself in lack of?
3b) Is God able to provide that? What must you believe in order for that fear to go away?

Sermon Notes

1. Jesus the Preacher is willing to heal, 40-42
2. Jesus the Preacher has power to heal, 43-46
3. Jesus the Preacher is not THAT Kind of Faith Healer, 47-48

FILL IN BLANKS

3A. Lack of healing does not equal ________ faith, ________ faith – Mark 9:24; Luke 8:52-53
3B. There are different ________ of healing - physical, spiritual, temporary, permanent – Ps 103:2-5
3C. Everyone who believes in Jesus will ________ be healed. – John 3:16, Phil. 3:20-21; I John 3:2
3D. To receive ________, ________ healing, you must believe – John 3:16-18
3E. The ________ of our faith, not the ________ of our faith, is what matters – Mark 9:24; Luke 8:52-53; John 10:27-30
3F. Faith is a ________ – Eph 2:8-9

4. Sometimes, Jesus the Preacher heals to overcome unbelief, 49-56

## Reflection questions

1. If faith is a gift, then how should respond to God for the gift that He has given? See Eph 2:8-10, especially v.10. Romans 11:33-36; Romans 12:1. Also, 2 Cor. 9:15

2. Read Luke 11:11-13. How do you view God – as the father who gives his children a serpent or a scorpion? Or as the father who loves to give good gifts to His children? See also Rom 8:31-32.

3. Have you ever said or thought something like what Jairus’s friend says in v.49 – That Jesus could heal while she was still alive, but He can’t heal the little girl after she died? What unbiblical limits have you put on God’s power to save?

Luke 8:26–39