1) What is one thing that stood out to you about this week's message?

2) Read Luke 1:1-4. Luke begins by stating the reason he is writing his gospel is to allow a non-believer, Theophilus, to understand the truth of Jesus. Have you come to the understanding of the truth of Jesus? How did you first hear of His love for you, and how did you respond to it?

3) Do you find it difficult, easy, or something different altogether, to talk to people about Jesus?

4) Read Romans 10:9-15. What responsibility do we, as believers of Jesus, have to those who have not yet heard of what He has done? Why is this important?

5) Who is one person that God has put in your life that needs to hear about His love for them?

1) Any good cicada stories?

Read 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 as a group.

2) Ben said the subject of his sermon was glory. How do you define the word glory?

3) Moses’ glory faded (2 Corinthians 3:13), but our glory keeps increasing (2 Corinthians 3:18). How does this encourage you, especially when you don’t feel all that glorious?

4) Have you noticed a change in the "degree of glory" you're experiencing now compared to a few years ago? Please share if you feel comfortable.

5) We are meant to reflect the Lord’s glory to the world. What does that mean, and how do you do that?

6) How can we, as a small group, reflect the Lord’s glory?

1) What was one thing that stood out to you about this week's message?

2) On Sunday, we discussed how we could “love like Jesus does.” How have you most experienced the love of Jesus? How have others shown you this?

3) The main point for Sunday was “The only way we will love like Jesus does is if we choose to make Jesus our main focus.” How can focusing on Jesus change how you treat others? Have you seen this to be true in your life?

Read Luke 10: 25-37 (The Parable of the Good Samaritan) for the further questions.

4) Seeing compassion felt from a Samaritan towards a Jew wad unheard of in Jesus’ day and age. Is there a certain person or group of people that you struggle with showing love to? How can you allow Christ and the Church community to help you overcome this barrier of love?

5) In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan not only felt for the Jew, but acted on his behalf. What actions do you need to take this week to spread God’s love, through your, to others?

1) In what ways has your identity most been formed?

• Tags or labels that people have placed on you?

• Well intentioned people’s expectations of you?

• Your desire to chase an identity to be someone you are not?

2) We are God’s beloved…and God’s love for us establishes our identity...and out of our identity comes our activity. Before God tells us what to do; He tells us who we are. Do you personally realize and recognize the great love that God has for you?

3) In the teaching, Virgil stated that “The things that describe us should not be the things that define us...the thing that defines us should spill over into all the ways that others describe us and that we describe ourselves…and that thing is our identity in Christ.” Does your identity in Christ continually spill over into the day-to-day of your lives, or does it just happen sometimes?

4) Read 1 Peter 2:9-10. When you read these verses, do you recognize that these words apply to you? How does knowing that this is how God defines you and describes you change the way that you see yourself? How does it change the way you treat or respond to others?

5) Read Acts 4:13. It was clear to the religious leaders that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Do people recognize you as someone who has been with Jesus? (Does your life and do your words declare that you have been with Jesus?) What are some steps you can take to “be with Jesus”?

6) If you have truly found your identity in Christ, has it “changed everything”? If so, how?

1) What is one thing that stood out to you about this week's message?

2) On Sunday, we discussed how we are impacted by that which we give our attention to, (hobbies, lifestyles, causes, etc.) Can you think of a time when what you focused on began to change who you were?

3) In the book of Exodus (Chapters 1-14), we see that God's people are slaves in Egypt; for 200 years, their identity was found through oppression. Have you ever felt that your identity was formed through negative experiences? How have you let God give you a chance at a new identity through His freedom?

4) In Exodus 32, we see that God's children worship pagan gods instead of the Lord. What can happen to the identity of a Christian if we give our attention to the wrong things?

5) If you want to know where you are looking for your identity, ask yourself this: “What am I giving most of my time, energy, and resources to?” How would you answer that question?

6) What do you need to change to bring your focus and your whole identity back to God?

1) What is something that stood out to you about this week's message?

2) Read James 1:19. James tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Have you had situations where you did the opposite - slow to listen, quick to speak? What do you think is the problem with that?

3) Read James 1:22. How is it possible to “fool ourselves” if we’re reading God’s Word?

4) Think about how Ben tied in the message of Jonah at the end - why is it so important to remind ourselves that it is about our hearts?

5) Read James 1:26-27. Why do you think James defines “religion” the way that he does?

6) Practice being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. If you follow that instruction, how will putting your faith into action look different this week?

In preparation for this week's questions, read read Luke 11:37-54.

1) Why do followers of Jesus sometimes feel the need to appear that their lives are perfect? Have you ever felt that way in your own life?

2) In his teaching, Virgil said that, regarding hypocrisy, “the enemy is us”, meaning that being a hypocrite is not someone else’s problem, it is all our problems. How have you seen your hypocrisy damaging another person or damaging the church?

3) Have you ever felt judged because of your imperfection? Or have you ever judged another person for their imperfections? What was the end result?

4) Read Luke 11:37-38. Have you experienced traditions in the church that are not encouraged or supported by scripture that have stood in the way of your faith or the faith of others?

5) Read Luke 11:42. Jesus called out the Pharisees for attempting to keep a right relationship with God through obedience, while criticizing them for failing to show love and justice. Why was that such a bad thing?

6) How do you see God using people in spite of their imperfections? Can you think of imperfect people in the Bible who were used by God? Can you think of times in your own imperfect life where he used you?

1) What is one thing that stood out to you about this week's message?

2) In Jeremiah 1:6-8, we see that Jeremiah felt he was too young to handle the responsibility that God had given Him. Is there any insecurity in your life that has kept you from allowing God to use you how He desires?

3) Read Jeremiah 2:1-13. What were some of the reasons that God was upset with His children? Do you see any of those reasons reflected in your life today?

4) During Jeremiah's ministry, God's people had left His Truth for the lies of the world. What are some things you can do to ensure you don't drift away from how God has called you to live and avoid blending in with the world?

5) Read Psalm 25:5, 86:11, & 119:60. How can these verses encourage you to hold fast to God's Truth?

6) Read John 14:6. What does it mean that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?

1) What is one thing that stood out to you about this week's message?

2) In Amos 7:14-15, Amos says that he is "just a shepherd" taking care of fig trees. Have you ever felt like you were "just a..." and God wasn't interested in using you? What would you say to encourage someone who may feel this way?

3) In Amos chapters 2 and 3, we see that God outlines the sins of His people, the Israelites. Telling them in Amos 3:2, "You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins." God's anger stems from His people not living out their calling. What are some ways that you can get distracted from the ways that God calls you to live? What can you do to change this?

4) Read Amos 5:24. What does God desire for us? How can you practically live that out in your life?

5) Is there something that you are incredibly passionate about making right in this world? How can you do that?

6) Read Amos 9:11-12. How has Jesus, (from the line of David), fulfilled this text?

1) What is one thing that you stuck out to you about this week's message?

2) Read John 20:1-3. Despite knowing and spending time with Jesus, Mary's initial response to the empty tomb was disbelief. How would you have responded?

3) In John 20:19-20, we see that the disciples finally believed in the Resurrection once they were able to see Jesus. What brought you to believe in Jesus' Resurrection?

4) In John 20:26, we see that the disciples, who believed in the Resurrection, were spending time with Thomas, who doubted. Why is it important that we allow those skeptical about Jesus to be involved in the Church while finding their own footing with faith?

5) In John 20:29, Jesus tells the disciples, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me." How can we believe without seeing? What evidence of Jesus' Resurrection have you seen in your life?