Kettlebrook West Bend

Questions for Reflection / Discussion

1. What memories of Resurrection Sunday do you have from your past? How do you most enjoy spending this day now and why?

2. There was not a crowd of Jesus’ disciples outside his tomb on the 3rd day counting down to His resurrection because “nobody expects no body.” Why do you think this was the case? Why do you think the account would be recorded this way?

3. Read Matthew 12:6. What do you think Jesus means when He says these words?

4. In John chapter 2, Jesus comes into the temple and starts flipping over tables. The people ask, What gives You the authority to do this?” Has Jesus ever flipped over some “tables” in your life? What was that like?

5. In what ways do you challenge Jesus’ authority over your life? Why is this the case?

6. If the claims of Jesus are true, they have significant bearing on each of our lives. What has kept/is keeping you from further exploring his profound claims?

7. What vase/trophies are you holding up in your life, knowing that they are not fulfilling?

8. How can the resurrection of Jesus make you a true champion?

Questions for discussion:

1. Did you celebrate “Palm Sunday” at all while growing up? If so, what do you remember from it? What kinds of things did you do?

2. Have you ever had a moment in your life when you look at a situation and you are threatened to despair and say, “this is just so broken?” What was that like? Can you explain the situation?

3. Read Luke 19:28-44. What things stood out to you? What do you learn about God from this passage? About us/ourselves?

4. Why do you think Jesus wept? What was it about the situation that made him lose it emotionally? How does it help you to know that Jesus wept over the brokenness he saw in the world?

5. Mike said, “Jesus is the one person in all of history who could on one hand weep over the brokenness of the world while simultaneously set about to do something about it.” Do you agree with that statement? Why or why not? What do you suppose he meant?

6. Find and read John 11:25-26. Read it and discuss what you think Jesus meant. Share what you believe about what Jesus says here.

Questions for Reflection/ Discussion:

1. What stuck out to you?

2. What further questions does it raise?

3. What does it say about Jesus?

4. How will you respond personally?

5. With whom/ how can you share this?

Questions for Reflection/ Discussion:

1. What situations/conflicts/requests in your life are currently “unresolved”? What is like for you to have something “unresolved” in your life?

2. Re-read Lamentations chapter 5. The poet experiences personal, communal and national disgrace. Can you give an example of each of these from your own experience?

3. Of the above disgraces that you shared, which do you think are the result of your own sins, the sins of others, the brokenness of the world in general, or some combination?

4. In Lamentations 5:16, the poets writes, “Woe to us, for we have sinned!” In what ways is this true in your life?

5. In Lamentations 5:17, the poet’s heart fails and his eyes have grown dim. Is there a circumstance in your life that is causing your heart to fail and eyes to grow dim? Why is this the case?

6. In what ways can Jesus bring resolution to the unresolved in your life? What steps can you take to engage Him in this?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. Do you prefer to attend weddings or funerals more? Why is that? What happens if we refuse to attend funerals? What happens to us as people?

2. Can you remember a season when you or a friend/family member were

lamenting? What helped? What were the things that people did which were

meaningful? What didn’t help (or maybe even hurt?)

3. Jesus says in Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn…”. Why is that so? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

4. How does lamenting recognize the tension of the ’now, but not yet’ Kingdom of God in our world?

5. Read Lamentations chapter 2. What are things that you notice? What verses stood out to you? Why?

6. Pay attention to verses 18-19. Have you ever ‘cried out to the Lord’ over the

brokenness of our world or ‘poured out your heart’ that things would be right in your world? What do we gain by this? Why do we diminish the power of prayer/petition in our lives?

7. What is one thing you can do this season of Lent to intentionally help connect you with (and not ignore) the pain in the world?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. In what ways might you personally be experiencing the reality of suffering in your own life right now? What is that like for you?

2. Give an example of when you might have gone to great lengths to avoid or minimize stress or suffering in your life? In the life of the next generation?

3. Do you create an environment where children can know that they are heard? Where the next generation can know that you are with them (in the midst of their sufferings)? What does that look like for you?

4. Review the above 4 “Confidences” described by Tom Tunicliff. In what ways are you helping to develop these in the next generation? What might be one area of growth for you in this?

5. Re-read Hebrews 5:7-10 and also read 2 Corinthians 1:8-10. What can we learn from these passages about suffering?

6. In what ways might God be desiring to redeem the suffering you (or the next generation) might be currently experiencing?

7. How is Jesus’ own suffering meant to be good news to us? How can you respond to this today?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. What of significance have you lost recently? Why did that loss make you feel

vulnerable or needy?

2. Reflect on this past week. Where did you see the Lord’s faithfulness in the “little" matters of your life? How can you be absolutely certain that He loves you with a loyal love? Again, taking a moment to reflect, how can you “test” your ways for soundness?

3. When evaluating your life as to how to keep instructions that Jesus gave, are there one or two of His instructions that are causing an inner struggle for you? What do you think is the reason for that struggle?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. When you hear the word “lament” what comes to mind?

2. Is there anything that you are currently lamenting?

3. Do you find it difficult to lament? Why or why not?

4. Read Lamentations chapter 1. In what ways can you identify with the poet/author? In what ways do you find it difficult to identify with the poet/author?

5. Of the above three “causes of lamenting”, which do you find yourself most likely to engage with and why? Least likely to engage with?

6. What are some of your own sins you might need to lament?

7. What lament(s) do you need to bring to Jesus? How do you think He would respond to your lament?

8. How might growing in lament help you appreciate Jesus more? What might that look like this week?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. Can you think of a song you have sung in church recently that basically leads us in a corporate repentance or lament? Why do you think there is such a lack of such songs in the American church repertoire? What might that reflect? Why do you think it is so hard for us to corporately or communally repent?

2. Daniel repented on behalf of his people once he heard the news that the

destruction of Jerusalem was going to last 70 years. What do you think it will take for the church in America to come to such a posture? How about your church?

3. Read verse 4. Notice how Daniel addresses the Lord. What does that tell us about how Daniel thinks of God? How might that differ from how we normally address the Lord in prayer. How does this differ or how is this similar to other prayers we have studied in this series so far?

4. Read verses 5-11. What do you notice about Daniel’s confession? How inclusive is he? Why do you think he includes himself in this confession (notice he uses the pronouns ‘we’ ‘our’ and ‘us’). What does that tell you about Daniel? Do you think it is possible to corporately repent if we don’t include ourselves as part of the problem?

5. In verses 11-14 Daniel acknowledges that God’s ways are right and Israel is

getting what it rightly deserves and what God always said he would do. Is there any correlation here for the Church? Do you think the United States may in any way be experiencing judgment from God? How do you see this?

6. (Verses 15-19). If we are asking God to turn from his anger and wrath (v.16) we need to be willing to turn from our corporate and communal sins. What do you think the church in the United States might need to confess and repent of? What would you put on that list? Is there any way that you, like Daniel did, could, on behalf of the Church, confess? What do you think that would accomplish? In the world? In your heart? How have you contributed to the problem and what can you do in your own life to make matters right?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1. Have you ever had someone try to compromise your integrity or slander your character? What was that like?

2. Read Daniel 6:4-5. The other leaders were trying to find grounds for accusation against Daniel. If you were put through an examination like this at home, work or school, how would you fare? What might you hope they don’t find/see?

3. In what ways might you not only be living in this world, but living for this world? Why do you think this is the case?

4. In what ways do you “move two feet to the left of the window” or “close the blinds” when it comes to your faith? Why is this the case?

5. When you pray, what does your posture reflect? In what ways might your physical and spiritual posture need to change?

6. In what ways might you need to take a stand for (or be on your knees for) God, despite the repercussions?

7. If someone looked into the window of your life/heart/soul what would they see? How can Jesus and the gospel be good news for you in this?