Jesus 120

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. Why is Jesus so hard on this woman?

3. Is Jesus saying he only came for the lost sheep of Israel?

4. Is there anywhere else in scripture that leads us to believe Jesus came for the Gentiles as well?

5. Are you this desperate with Jesus?

6. What challenges you in this story?

7. What could we be praying for?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Traditions and Commandments
15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”[a] 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word[b] of God. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8 “‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
What Defiles a Person
10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. What traditions in your life have become more important than they need to be?

3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?

4. What is it that defiles a person? What is Jesus getting at here?

5. How do you change what comes out of your mouth?

6. Who will you teach this story to? How did it go teaching the story from last week?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

John 6:5-21

5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii[a] worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Jesus Walks on Water
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. Why does Jesus ask Phillip about feeding the crowd?

3. What can you learn from the methods Jesus uses in this story?

4. What challenges you?

5. Why does Jesus withdraw?

6. What is Jesus teaching his disciples in this story?

7. Who will you teach this story to? How did it go teaching the story from last week?

8. What could we be praying for?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

Mark 6:21-29

21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's[a] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. What can we learn about people in this story?

3. What did you learn about Jesus?

4. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?

5. What challenges you?

6. How are you planning to follow Jesus this week?

7. Who will you teach this story to? How did it go teaching the story from last week?

8. What could we be praying for?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. What is Jesus doing in your life right now?

3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?

4. What challenges you?

5. According to this example what places limits on Jesus?

6. How do you battle familiarity with Jesus sapping away your faith?

7. What helps you keep an intimate relationship with Jesus?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. What are some of the key things Jesus is saying about the kingdom of heaven in these parables?

3. What do you know about Mustard plants? Yeast?

4. Which parable challenges you?

5. Why is Jesus teaching so much about the Kingdom?

6. What could we be praying for?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

A Woman with a Disabling Spirit
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. What is Jesus saying in this parable?

3. Do you ever feel like you are “wasting” the soil? What can you do?

4. Why does Jesus so disgusted by hypocrisy?

5. What challenges you in this story?

6. How are you planning to apply this scripture to your life this week?

7. What could we be praying for?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

The Parable of the Weeds

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds[a] among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants[b] of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. Why are there weeds in the kingdom?

3. What are some "weeds" in the kingdom?

4. What does Jesus want us to do with “weeds” in the kingdom?

5. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?

6. What challenges you?

7. How could you apply this teaching in your life?

8. What could we be praying for?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

Do Not Be Anxious
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,[b] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his[c] kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. What causes you the most worry?

3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?

4. What challenges you?

5. What is God promising here?

6. Is it wrong to pursue comfort and wealth?

7. How should we manage our money in light of this?

8. Where is your treasure?

9. What could we be praying for?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?

Mark 4:3-20

3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables
10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that

“they may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they should turn and be forgiven.”
13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.[a] 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?


2. What are the 4 soils?


3. What does each soil represent?


4. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?


5. How do we avoid these particular challenges in our own lives?


6. What challenges you?


7. How are you planning to follow Jesus this week?


8. What could we be praying for?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

• What happened?
• What did you learn about God?

Middle School (why?)

• Why is Jesus teaching this?
• Why does this matter?

High School (how?)

• How does this apply to me?
• How would this look in my life?