Jesus 120

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him.[a] 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

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 shocks you about this story?


5. Have you fully let go of your earthly family? Should you?


6. Who “really” is your family?


7. How do you take hold of your new spiritual family?


8. 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?

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. What causes you to worry?


2. What are you most frequently worried about?


3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?


4. What challenges you?


5. How can we live a life free of worry?


6. How do you seek the Kingdom of God?


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?

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Group Questions

1. How do you pursue a deeper relationship with God? What has worked for you?

2. What is Jesus teaching you about prayer here?

3. How do you view God when you pray?

4. How do you wish you were treated each day?

5. What is the narrow gate?

6. What excuses do you use to avoid doing good to others?

7. How are you planning to follow Jesus this 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?

14 And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. What comforts are you willing to lose in order to follow Jesus?

3. Is there a specific comfort that is a hindrance to your walk with Jesus?

4. Is there anyone in your family that has discouraged you from walking with Jesus? How?

5. What is one “dead” thing must you leave behind to follow Jesus?

6. Is the cost of following Jesus worth it?

Family Questions

Elementary (what?)

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

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?

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”


Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?


2. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?


3. Do you ever feel like Jesus is “asleep?”


4. Is there something in your life that feels too big for Jesus to handle? What is it?


5. How could you apply this scripture in your life this week?


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?

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind[e] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you[f] do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Group Questions

1. What did Jesus teach you during the sermon this week?

2. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?

3. What is the hang up for Nicodemus?

4. Jesus uses three images to explain being born again; what are they?

5. What is Jesus saying through these three word pictures?

6. How can you apply this story in your life?

7. 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 Jesus?

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?

46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour[c] the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

Group Questions

1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?

2. What has Jesus been teaching you?

3. When does this man believe?

4. Is faith a process or a proclamation?

5. What is something you are learning about faith in this passage?

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

22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

GROUP QUESTIONS

1. What did Jesus teach you during the sermon this week?

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

3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?

4. What are the motives of the crowd?

5. What are your motives for following Jesus?

6. What does Jesus want to give everyone instead of bread and wine?

7. 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?

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.


Group Questions

1. What is a "measure?"


2. What is the big thing that Jesus is teaching you in this passage?


3. What challenges you?


4. Describe your worst relationship.


5. What if your worst relationship is a reflection of your current relationship with God?


6. According to Jesus what is your biggest obstacle to helping someone else?


7. How do we “remove” condemnation from our lives while retaining our discernment?


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 a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out[a] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Group Questions

1. What did Jesus teach you during the sermon this week?

2. What do we learn here about faith? About doubt?

3. Why couldn’t the disciples drive the demon out?

4. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?

5. How is Jesus challenging you?

6. What do you believe Jesus wants you to do this week?

7. 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?