We continue our series in Matthew, by looking at the pivotal passage where Jesus is declared the Messiah. This week's discussion questions are below: Discussions Questions:

1. What stands out to you about the setting of this passage (Caesarea Philippi)? How does the location shape the meaning of Jesus' question?

2. Why do you think Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” rather than just teaching it directly? What does this reveal about the way he leads and forms disciples?

3. What does Peter’s confession — “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” — tell us about his understanding of Jesus at that moment? What do you think Peter still didn’t understand?

4. What is the significance of Jesus calling Peter “rock,” and promising to build his church on that rock? Do you lean more toward that referring to Peter himself or Peter’s confession? Why?

5. Jesus says the “gates of Hades will not overcome” the church. What does that say about the role and power of the church in the world today?

6. Why do you think Jesus told them not to tell anyone he was the Messiah (v. 20)? What were people likely expecting from a Messiah back then?

7. When Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” how do you honestly answer that right now? How have your thoughts about Jesus changed over time?

8. If Jesus is King, what are some practical areas of life where that truth should affect your decisions, habits, or priorities? Is there any part of your life that’s resisting his rule?

9. What are some ways our church can live more boldly as people “on offense” — not hiding from darkness, but pushing against it with love?

10. What’s one conversation you could have this week with someone far from God where you listen first, ask gentle questions, and invite them closer to Jesus?

We continue our series in Matthew, with a look at the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew 16. This week's discussion questions and the spiritual checkup included in this message are below:

Self-Righteous Faith Checkup

1. You feel morally superior to others. You look down on others who sin differently

than you do, assuming you’re better because you don’t struggle in the same

way. You believe you’ve outgrown needing mercy — forgetting that the gospel

is for all sinners.

2. You’re more focused on other’s sins than your own. You spend so much time

criticizing or judging others, and always have an excuse when you behave

badly.

3. You take pride in your spiritual performance. You find your identity in your

church attendance, prayer, giving, Bible knowledge rather than finding it in

Jesus.

4. You believe because of your good behavior or spiritual deeds that God owes

you something and you feel frustrated when other people who do things you

never would get blessed. Like the older brother in the prodigal son story, you

feel resentful when someone who “doesn’t deserve it” is welcomed.

5. You spend more time correcting people rather than encouraging them. You’re

quick to give people “truth” but slow to offer grace, compassion or love.

6. You only want to spend time with people who look, act and believe like you. You

avoid people outside your theological, political or moral tribe.

7. You struggle to admit that you are wrong, and find reasons that even when you

were wrong you were actually kinda right.

8. You study scripture to justify yourself, not to become like Jesus. You use the

Bible as a weapon against others, not a mirror for yourself.

9. You talk about Jesus more than you live and love like Him. You have the right

theology, but you haven’t become a person who acts like Jesus, and that’s the

telos of the Christian faith.

10. You get tired of serving others if you aren’t seen, praised for it and given a

pat on the back. Your faith is performative — more about image than intimacy

with God.

11. When people challenge or question you, you become defensive and view it

as an attack, rather than an opportunity to become more like Jesus.

12. You think some people are beyond saving.

July 13 Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you in Jesus’ warning about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees?

Why do you think Jesus used yeast as His metaphor?

2. In what ways can pride or self-righteousness sneak into our faith without us noticing?

Can you identify a time when this has happened in your own walk with God?

3. Which of the 12 “faith checkup” statements felt most personally convicting or relevant to you? Why do you think that is?

4. How do we balance speaking truth with showing grace and compassion in our relationships with others? What does that look like practically?

5. Jesus doesn’t give up on His disciples even when they misunderstand Him.

How does that encourage you in your journey of following Him — especially when you feel like you’ve “missed it”?

6. What would it look like for you to start being more honest with yourself and with God this week? Are there areas you tend to avoid because they’re painful or messy?

7. Who are the people in your life you trust to help point out blind spots or areas of pride in your faith? How might you open yourself up to their input?

We continue in our series in the book of Matthew. This week's discussion questions are below: Discussion Questions

1. What are some of the key differences between the feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000? Why do you think Matthew included both stories?

2. What does Jesus’ compassion in Matthew 15:32 reveal about his heart and his priorities?

3. How did the disciples respond to the situation, even after seeing a similar miracle before? What does that tell us about human nature?

4. Have you ever experienced “spiritual amnesia” — forgetting how God provided for you in the past when facing a new challenge?

5. In what ways are you tempted to seek signs from God in uncertain times? How can you grow in discernment instead of chasing certainty?

6. What “signs of the kingdom” have you seen in your life or in the world around you — signs that Jesus is at work even if it's not dramatic or flashy?

7. The Pharisees and Sadducees demanded a sign, but were unwilling to see what was already in front of them. How can we guard against becoming spiritually blind to God's work?

8. Jesus points to the “sign of Jonah” — how does the resurrection function as the ultimate sign, and how should that shape our faith?

We continue our series in Matthew in our June 29 Sunday gathering. This week's discussion questions are below: Discussion Questions

1. What part of this story challenged you the most? What part encouraged you?

2. Have you ever experienced a time when you cried out to God and were met with silence? How did that affect your faith?

3. Why do you think Jesus responded the way he did to the Canaanite woman? What does this teach us about persistence in prayer?

4. The Canaanite woman was an outsider — a woman, a Gentile, and from a region under judgment. What does it say about the kingdom of God that she becomes the example of great faith?

5. What does this story reveal about how Jesus responds to people who “don’t deserve” his help? How does that challenge the way we think about who is in or out?

6. The disciples tried to send the woman away. Have you ever felt like others discouraged your faith or told you to stop hoping, praying, or asking? How did you respond?

7. Jesus praises the woman’s “great faith.” What do you think made her faith great? How can we grow in that kind of faith?

8. Who in your life (or community or church) might feel like they’re on the outside looking in? What would it look like for you to embody the radical welcome of Jesus?

9. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs...” Do you believe that even a small act of grace from Jesus can transform a life? Where have you seen that kind of miracle in your story or someone else’s?

In our June 22 Sunday gathering we continue our series in Matthew. This week's discussion questions are: Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you from this passage or the message today? Was there a moment that challenged or convicted you?

2. Why do you think the Pharisees were so focused on outward behavior and ritual purity? In what ways can we fall into the same mindset today?

3. Jesus says that what defiles a person comes from the heart. What are some signs that our hearts might be drifting away from God, even if we still look “religious” on the outside?

4. Have you ever found yourself using religious language, tradition, or theology to avoid doing something God has clearly called you to do? What did that look like?

5. What’s the difference between having clean hands and a clean heart? Can you think of modern-day examples where Christians focus more on appearances than authenticity?

6. Jesus called the Pharisees “blind guides.” Who or what are the voices we’re tempted to follow today that might actually lead us into a ditch?

7. What do you think it looks like to let Jesus “heal your heart”? What practices or postures help you stay tender to God and others?

8. Righteousness is about relationships—with God and others. What is one step you can take this week to grow in right relationship with both?

In our June 15 Sunday gathering we continued our series in Matthew. This week's discussion questions are: Discussion Questions

1. What kinds of fears or anxieties have you felt recently? How do those compare with what the disciples might have felt out on the water?

2. Can you relate to the idea that anxiety feels like a superpower turned kryptonite? What are some ways fear has helped or hindered you?

3. Why do you think Jesus “compelled” the disciples to get in the boat, knowing a storm was coming? What does that say about how God uses hardship?

4. Peter walked on water for a moment — what made him sink? What makes your faith feel strong in one moment and fragile in the next?

5. Which fear response (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn) do you most naturally lean toward? How has that shown up in your spiritual life?

6. What do you think Jesus meant when he said, “Take courage. I AM. Don’t be afraid”? How does that change how you view God in your own storms?

7. What are some daily or weekly practices you could implement to take courage and walk through fear with Jesus? (e.g., breath prayers, naming fears out loud, seeking help)

8. When has fear kept you from stepping out in faith? What would it look like to step out of the boat this week?

9. What does it mean to you that fear is not the absence of faith — but part of learning to walk with Jesus?

10. How might God want to use your fear or anxiety as an opportunity to reveal himself more deeply to you or to others?

We continue our series in Matthew in our June 8 Sunday gathering. This week's discussion questions are below: June 8 Discussion Questions:

Why do you think the feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle (besides the resurrection) recorded in all four gospels? What does that say about its importance?

Jesus sought solitude after John’s death but responded with compassion when interrupted. How do you typically respond when your plans or grief are interrupted? What does His response teach us?

The disciples said, “We only have five loaves and two fish.” Where in your life do you find yourself saying, “I only have…”? How might Jesus be inviting you to offer that “only”?

What are some examples of how God has multiplied something small in your life—time, energy, resources, or faith? How did that shape your trust in Him?

The disciples wanted to send the crowd away. Who in your life—or in our community—are you tempted to “send away” rather than serve? What might Jesus be saying instead?

“Every opportunity for a miracle has a reason it shouldn’t work.” What reasons or excuses tend to limit your faith in God’s power? How do those compare to the reasons in this passage?

The boy gave his lunch, and Jesus gave thanks for it. What would it look like for you to give thanks for what you have, even if it doesn’t feel like enough?

What might it look like for our church to attempt the impossible? Where is God calling us to trust Him with our “five loaves and two fish”?

We kick off an old new series by returning to our summer series in the book of Matthew. This week's discussion questions for June 1 are below: Discussion Questions June 1

1. What were some of the common expectations people had of the Messiah during

Jesus’ time?

2. In what ways do our modern expectations of God mirror or differ from theirs?

3. Have you ever felt disappointed with God? What were you hoping for, and how did

you respond?

4. John the Baptist went from boldly proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah to doubting

him while in prison. What does that teach us about faith in seasons of suffering or

silence?

5. Why do you think Jesus didn’t intervene to rescue John from prison? How does

that challenge our understanding of how God works?

6. How can we express our disappointment to God in healthy, faith-filled ways?

7. How does Herod’s kingship contrast with Jesus’ kingship in this passage?

8. What does it mean that Jesus redefined kingship through the cross? How does that

impact how we follow him today?

9. Which of your expectations of God might be unconscious, unspoken, or

unrealistic?

10. How might God be inviting you to “evaluate” and “adjust” your expectations?

11. Have you ever experienced a time when God didn’t meet your expectations, but

something deeper or better happened instead?

12. How can we support others in our community who are dealing with disappointment

or unmet expectations in their faith?

13. What practices or habits can help us stay rooted in trust even when we don’t

understand what God is doing?

We conclude our series about the Jewish roots of Christianity. From our May 25 Sunday gathering. This week's discussion questions are below:

May 25 Discussion Questions

Have you ever struggled with the apparent contrast between the God of the Old Testament and the God revealed in Jesus? How does the idea of progressive revelation help make sense of this tension?

2. What stood out to you about the quote: *“God is the name of the blanket we throw over mystery to give it shape”*? How does that reshape how you think about theology?

3. What are some ways that learning about Jewish thought and tradition has deepened or challenged your understanding of Christianity?

4. In what ways has the church you’ve experienced leaned more toward a "Marcionite" view—separating the OT God from Jesus?

5. How does the Jewish idea of *Olam Haba* differ from the traditional Christian views of heaven or hell you grew up with?

6. Why do you think Jesus emphasized a “reversal” in the world to come—“the last will be first, and the first will be last”? What does that tell us about God’s values?

7. Does the vision of a restored creation (rather than a disembodied heaven) affect how you think about your purpose here and now?

8. What does it look like to live today as if the *Olam Haba* is already breaking into this world?

9. In what ways can we help “colonize earth with the life of heaven,” as N.T. Wright puts it?

10. How does this vision of the future affect how you view justice, mercy, or forgiveness in your daily life?

In our May 18 Sunday gathering we continue our series about the Jewish roots of Christianity and some of the confusion that has caused for the Western church. This week's discussion questions are below: 1. Have you ever claimed a Bible promise thinking it applied directly to you,

only to realize later it was originally meant for someone else? How did that

realization impact your faith or understanding of scripture?

2. Why is it important to understand the original audience and context of a

biblical promise?

3. How does knowing that God’s promises depend on “His” character (not ours)

give you comfort or challenge you?

4. What does Paul mean when he says “all the promises of God find their Yes in

him” (2 Cor. 1:20)?

5. How can promises made to Israel still bring blessing to us through Jesus,

even if they weren’t made “to” us?

6. How does viewing the Bible as "one continuous story"—with Jesus as the

main character—change the way you read both the Old and New

Testaments?

7. Why do you think we’re so tempted to make the Bible “about us” rather than

about God?

8. How should we approach verses like Jeremiah 29:11 in a faithful and honest

way?

9. How does the promise “I am with you always” (Matt. 28:20) personally

encourage you?

10. The sermon mentioned asking: “Who is this promise for? What does this

reveal about God’s character? Is there a principle here for all people? How is

this fulfilled in Jesus?” How might those questions change the way you study

the Bible going forward?