Jesus 120

In today’s sermon we focus on the fact that apart from Jesus there is no true rest. Therefore, we must learn to become "Un-Busy" by spending unhurried time with Jesus, so that we can allow space for His Life to penetrate us with truth that brings rest. A good place for us to start is to reflect on how Jesus Accepts us, Sustains us, and gives us inherent Significance. Let’s take up his easy yoke and find rest for our souls!

We begin a new series today focused on the importance of getting proper rest. We live in a fast-paced, over-busy, over-burdened, distracted, and anxious culture, but Jesus offers a gracious cure “come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” In today’s message we take a look at our great need for rest, and then look to the One who is our source of rest. May we all “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.”

As we wrap up our series on Faith this week, we tackle the difficult obstacles that fear presents in our journey of faith. Reality and our perception of reality have a huge impact on how we view the challenges we face, and a broken view of reality can cause crippling fear in our lives. But Jesus offers us freedom and victory over fear as we learn to fear God, surrender to Him as King, and open our hearts to receive all His kingdom offers.

Faith without works is dead, but we are justified by faith apart from works of the law. This Biblical paradox has divided and confused people for many years, but the woman who touched the hem of Jesus garment and was healed teaches us that faith calls us to action, but actions do not save us. When faith is striving and based on human effort, it’s wrong; faith is a gift, and He is inviting us to participate with Him in the journey.

Key verses: Mark 5:25-29, James 2:14, 17-24, Romans 3:22-25, 27-28, Romans 4:1-5, Galatians 3:1-3, 6-9, Genesis 15:6, Hebrews 11:12-13, Ephesians 2:8-10, James 5:13-20, Mark 5:34

1. What has been your belief about the relationship between faith and works? Has your background influenced that? Did your beliefs change any after the sermon yesterday?

2, What does it mean to embrace the mystery of the scripture?

3. Why is failure an important part of your faith journey? Can you think of a time in your walk when you learned more from failure than success?

4. Why is the relationship with God the most important part of the faith/works conversation?

Questions from the sermon:

-What am I believing God for? Ask, Seek, and Knock!

-What am I being called to sacrifice? Let go of it and pursue Him!

-Where do I need to trust in the waiting & failing? Bring my disappoints and my failures to Him, don’t pull away from Him!

This week as we honor and celebrate our moms, we remember the life of Mary the mother of Jesus. As we explore some stories from her life, our hope is that we will be able to see a picture of the love of our perfect heavenly Father. Let’s have faith to believe in God’s love towards us, and then learn to love like He does!

Perhaps the most controversial thing that Jesus did in His life on earth was to forgive the sins of others. It was the most powerful and important miracle he performed. He gave His disciples and us that power, but it takes faith and the Holy Spirit to forgive the way that Jesus forgave. Often, we feel that we deserve immediate forgiveness, but are slow to give it to others. Through faith, we are able to look like Jesus with the way that we give and receive forgiveness.

Key Verses: Matt. 16:19, 18:15-20, Luke 6:27-28, 32-33, 36-38, 17:3-10, John 20:19-23

1. What would it matter if you never won another argument? Does that bother you? Why?

2. Jesus gave us the power to forgive others, but we often choose to hold grudges and even rally with others when we feel we have been wronged. Have you ever been in this type of situation? How does the conversation and attitude of a group like that differ from one focused on forgiveness? How does it impact your attitude towards others to be in a group like that?

3. Luke 6:38 says that “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” What does that mean? Do you have situations in your life currently or in your past where you would not want to be forgiven the way you forgave?

4. How are faith and forgiveness linked?

5. Thinking back to the prodigal son and his elder brother, when the brother chooses not to forgive, he becomes an outsider at the party the father is throwing. How have you seen unforgiveness isolate and damage the one holding onto the anger?

6. The story of the wicked servant in Matthew 18:15-35 seems so absurd to us, but when you really think about it, how are you like that servant?

In this series we have focused on the role that Faith plays in our daily walk with Jesus. We are all on a journey towards home. In today’s message we see that we are meant to help others along the way. Faith isn’t just about “my” journey; it’s “our” journey together. I’m called to provide hope, giving a helping hand, and invite outcasts into the love and presence of Jesus. So, who am I called to help lift up today?

Key Verses: Luke 5:15-32, Matthew 16:15-19

Life Group Questions:

1) Can you recall a time in your life when others helped carry you to Jesus, when you couldn’t seem to get to him on your own? What were some of the key things they did that helped you get to Jesus?

2) As we help carry people to Jesus – what are some good do’s and don’ts to be mindful of along the way? (Leader’s: see the notes under section 1 in the sermon notes about the 4 friends for some ideas)

3) What was Jesus trying to teach us, by “forgiving” the crippled man first before healing him? Similarly, why did Jesus seem to spend so much time with sinners (like when he had dinner at Levi’s house), instead of hanging out with the scribes & Pharisees? What do you think this means for us?

4) How can we avoid becoming “Pharisee-like Insiders”, and keep a compassionate heart towards those who can be “outsiders”? What are some warning signs we might be slipping into becoming like the Pharisees?

5) How can we identify people around us that need a lift? Can you think of 1 or 2 specific people right now that maybe you are the one who should help lift them? What can you do about that now?

The resurrection of Jesus is the reason we are able to have our own resurrection stories. God offers us total forgiveness and welcomes us with open arms, no matter how we betray Him, but we fall into the lies that His mercy isn’t available to us or we don’t need it. Judas and Peter’s stories teach us the importance of our response to guilt and that God’s love for us is available in every situation.

Key Verses: John 12:3-8, Mark 14:10-11, Matthew 26:47-50, Matthew 27:1-5, Mark 14:27-31, 66-71, 2 Cor. 7:10

1. What was Judas’s attitude about Mary pouring the ointment on Jesus’ feet? Why did he have that reaction? Why does God care about money? What does it show about our hearts?

2. What characteristics does Judas have that you can see in yourself? Why is it so hard to identify those qualities in ourselves? Why is it important to?

3. What were the two ideas that Judas believed about himself that led him to betray Jesus? (I know best, what’s in it for me?)

4. Judas guilt ended up destroying him. What lies did Judas believe about God’s mercy? (it wasn’t available to him, he didn’t need it). Have you ever believed these lies? How does that influence the guilt you have?

5. Peter also betrays Jesus and feels incredible guilt. How does Peter’s reaction differ from Judas’s? They both betrayed and hurt their closest friend, teacher, and themselves, but how does Peter’s reaction to his guilt differ from Judas?

6. How does Jesus react to Peter on the beach? What does this show us about how God feels about us when we fail or betray Him?

As Christ followers, we are given the gift of daily relationship, but too often, we are bogged down in the mundane. Jesus is ready and willing everyday to join us in the seemingly boring and annoying parts of our lives and wants to turn them into something great. Even when we have been neglecting Him for the petty insignificant parts of life, He takes us back and wants to be involved with us. Let us be aware of our inherent ability to settle and coast, and instead, embrace daily life with Him by our sides and make Him ever present in our thoughts.

Verses: Mark 11:1-10, Luke 19:41-44, Hebrews 3:13-14, Matthew 6:31-34, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalms 118:21-25, Matthew 20:29-34

1. What were some of the things that the people were willing to do on Palm Sunday as Jesus came into town? Can you see yourself joining in on this celebration? Why or why not?

2. What does it mean to be called into “Today living?”

3. What does this quote mean to you, “Human beings, who were created to live in awe of God, are in grave danger when familiarity causes them to be bored with God.”?

4. How does Jesus entrance on a donkey relate to the normal day to day in your life? How did he make something normal, great?

5. Have you fallen victim to the cycle of not following Jesus, having guilt about not following, pushing him away because of your guilt? How do you break that cycle? What does Lamentations 3:22-23 say about that?

6. How do you allow yourself to settle or coast? Have you seen or allowed the enemy to gain a foothold in your life with this? What are some practical things you can do to break that habit?

7. In Matthew 20:29-34, Jesus approaches and heals the blind men when they cry out to Him in a personal way. What does your personal cry to Jesus need to look like?

In our journey of faith, we will encounter difficulties as we navigate life in a broken world. In today’s sermon we take a look at the example of Moses to help guide us as we learn to have faith to endure even in the most difficult circumstances.

Key Verses: Hebrews 11:13-16, 11:35-40, 12:1-6, Deuteronomy chapter 34, Numbers 20:1-13

Life Group Questions:

1) Review the Story of Moses by discussing the following questions to help re-cap: Why didn’t Moses get to enter the Promised Land before he died? What were the difficulties that Moses was facing when he got angry and struck the rock? Moses was hurting from his sister’s death and frustrated with the people around him, but what did God view as Moses biggest issue?

2) Can you relate to the circumstances Moses was in? Is there a specific time in your life that comes to mind? When things are hard what is our most natural reaction:

• Get frustrated with the circumstances or people around us?

• Feel angry or disappointed with God?

• Look in the mirror and consider how we might need to grow or change?

Why do you think that’s our natural reaction?

3) Why do you think God is so focused on our re-action to the difficulties we face? How does that glorify Him? How does it impact others? Why might it be good for us?

4) Read Hebrews 12:1-2. What can we learn from these verses about how we run our race of endurance? How does Jesus death and resurrection show us how to handle our own need for growth and change?

5) Read Hebrews 12:3-6. Why is God so focused on helping us face our problems and learn to change, instead of Him just changing the hard things happening around us?

6) What does it look like to experience little deaths and resurrections in our daily battle with sin? Is there something Jesus is showing you today that needs to die, in order for you to experience new life in him?