North River Podcast

Has Jesus ever said anything that offended you?

Jordan Massey starts off our series entitled "RED: Radical Every Day", focusing on the words of Jesus, which are world-changing!

FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION/PERSONAL REFLECTION

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

Matthew 16:21-26

• Why did Peter react as he did?
• Why did Jesus rebuke Peter so strongly?
• How does power work in God's Kingdom?
• What is the difference between Kingdom power and worldly power?

Luke 9:23-26

• Why is self-denial crucial for a disciple of Jesus?
• What are the hardest areas of self-denial in your life?
• Jordan mentioned one of the most radical words in Luke 9 is DAILY. What keeps you from pursuing anything DAILY?
• What can you start or stop doing so you can become a person who is consistent on a daily basis?
• "The cross" was associated with being a revolutionary in this time. Why should we view Jesus as a  “revolutionary” leader? In what ways do you consider yourself a revolutionary in this world?

For further study on Self Sacrifice & Self Denial:

• Mark 10:41-45
• John 12:23-26
• Acts 4:32-32; 5:40-42
• Romans 6:1-14
• 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
• Galatians 2:19-21
• Philippians 2:3-8
• Colossians 3:1-13

How are you doing at denying yourself as you follow Jesus? Ask you spouse, roommate, or close friend.

Are you known for your sacrificial love? Ask your spouse, roommate, or close friend.

This week:

Practice praying for surrender to the will of God and the lordship of Jesus. Pray to empty yourself and be filled by God's Spirit through the leadership of Jesus.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart." What does it mean to take Jesus's yoke?

What does God's Kingdom among us look like in Jesus's ministry in the first Century and today? To comment, please do so at our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/NorthRiver

How do we represent God's kingdom to the world?

Harold and Suzanne Carmen, Lizzie Carrico, and Teregi and Ann Coleman close out our series on The Kingdom of God with a message about representing this Kingdom as Ambassadors.


THE KINGDOM OF GOD: AMBASSADORS

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

• What does being an ambassador of the Kingdom of God look like in your life?
• How do we tend to regard people from a worldly point of view? What does it mean to not do that?
• What can take our focus off of the mission and off of our ambassadorial role?

John 6:66-69

• What made so many disciples of Jesus turn back?
• What were you rescued from to become a Christian?
• What role should gratefulness play in our lives as disciples?
• In what ways do I allow God to fill me with gratitude?

Philippians 3:10-11

• What does it mean to participate in Jesus’ sufferings?
• How does suffering affect our opinion about God?

John 15:16, 19

• How does knowing who you are help you know what to do?
• What would make the world hate Christians?

John 6:38

• How can we focus on representing Christ wherever we are?
• How can we, as ambassadors, take the focus off ourselves?
• What can prevent us from letting ourselves be used by God?

Is the Kingdom of Heaven here and now or far and future?

How does God draw us into his Kingdom?

What does wholehearted devotion to Jesus look like?

Chase Mackintosh continues our series on the Kingdom of God with a focus on Jesus's teaching in Matthew 5-7, known as the Sermon on the Mount.


THE KINGDOM OF GOD: CITIZENSHIP

What it looked like to live out citizenship in the Kingdom of God was first described by Jesus in the sermon on the mount. If you wanted to belong to His Kingdom then you had to live a different way than the world. His way was a completely different, upside down way of living.

• Why does the world trust in power, pride, and selfish gain?
• Why should we instead trust in self sacrifice, humility, and selfless love in the Kingdom?

Matthew 5:4 - “Blessed are those who mourn…”

Matthew 6:24 - “You cannot serve both God and money”

Matthew 6:25 - “Do not worry about your life”

Matthew 5:44 - “Love your enemies”

• Pick a couple of these teachings from the sermon on the mount. If you were following Jesus in the first century, when would you have seen Him live out this teaching and not just preach it?
  • Imagine being there when it happened, how would it have affected you to see citizenship to the Kingdom lived out for the first time?
• Whether it’s one of these teachings or another, what teaching of Jesus’ Kingdom is hardest for you to truly accept and trust? Why?
  • What steps can you take to adopt Jesus’ thinking in that area?

Matthew 13:44-46

• Do you still value the Kingdom of God like the treasure in the field?
• If not what is standing in your way?

Practicals:

• Slowly read Matthew 5-7 this week. 
• Pick several teachings that stand out to you and write out how different the values are between the kingdoms of this world and the Kingdom of God.
• Have a conversation with a friend about a teaching you still wrestle with accepting, trusting, and truly holding to.