SCRIPTURE: John 17, Romans 10

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Read Jesus' prayer in John 17:6-23. What do you see here? What is most important to Jesus about how the Church he is building will operate in the world?

2. Do you have past hurt in your church experiences? Who can you share that with? 

3. What might “rehab” look like for you, when it comes to your church participation?

4. How can we overcome our own biases and approach other Christians from different denominations with love and understanding?

5. What steps can we take to develop meaningful partnerships with other churches? 

6. What role can you play in this?

7. Is there anyone in your life–particularly a professing Christian–who you have fallen “out of touch” with? Would you be willing to reach out to them this week?

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Think about relationships in your own life where maintaining “unity” is difficult. What has caused damage to the relationship in the past? What part(s) of that damage can you take on as your responsibility and repair?

2. Ivy said that when times are tough, we typically think our only options are to ignore problems or fight them… but that, as Christians, there must be a “third way.” What do you think that way is? 

3. Jesus builds a surprising community among his first disciples: there are people from across the political and religious spectrums; rich disciples and poor disciples; even “zealots” and “sons of thunder”! What can we learn from Jesus’s insistence on diversity?

4. How does Jesus build unity among his closest friends? What can we learn from his example?

5. Why might understanding and believing in God's unconditional love help us in seeking and maintaining unity?

6. How can we, as believers, intentionally foster unity within our church community and with others?

7. What does it mean to carry real hope and unity in today's culture of fear and division?

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:8, Psalm 24, Ezekiel 36, 1 John, Revelation 22:3-4

YOU CAN ALSO FIND KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are you learning from our study of the Beatitudes this year? What insights have you found so far about living “the good life”?

2. How might “purity of heart” go beyond external appearances?

3. What does judging purity by internal motivations and transformation mean for how you view yourself and others in your faith community?

4. A lot of this sermon has to do with who does the work of creating a “pure heart”. What is God’s promise? What is our task?

5. What does it mean to “ask” for a pure heart? Have you done this before? What has that experience been like?

6. What does it mean to “accept” a pure heart? What makes this so difficult for us sometimes?

7. What does it mean to “surrender” to a pure heart? Where are you struggling with this right now?

8. How can you better “nurture” the heart God has given you?

SCRIPTURE: Revelation 1:1-18, 5:2-10, 7:9-10, & 21:3-4, 22

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are some stories from Scripture that you would rather not read? Are there some specific ones that seem troubling to you?

2. What are your past experiences with the Book of Revelation, in particular? Have you heard or read teachings from it before? 

3. Consider the situation of the book: how does recognizing the genre of “apocalypse” influence your understanding? How might the circumstances of the original audience (i.e. - Christians facing Roman persecution) shape the way we read?

4. Consider the hope of the book: John is repeatedly surprised to see Jesus as a “bloodied Lamb” rather than a conquering hero. What does this reveal about his expectations? What does it reveal to us?

5. Reflect on a challenging situation you have faced or are currently facing. How can embracing the themes of hope, sacrifice, and the triumph of Jesus help you navigate through it?

6. Consider the warning of the book: what is the danger of a 'Culture Warrior' mentality? How might it detract from the genuine message of Christ?

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are some stories from Scripture that you would rather not read? Are there some specific ones that seem troubling to you?

2. Why do you think Solomon’s early dedication to God changed as he grew in power and wealth? Are there areas in your life where you feel your priorities have shifted, and how can you refocus on your relationship with God?

3. What does the story of Solomon teach us about the consequences of unwise choices, even for successful individuals?

4. How does Solomon's story demonstrate the importance of being aware of our own limitations and inadequacies?

5. What can we learn from Solomon's prayer during the temple dedication (1 Kings 8), despite his actions not aligning with his words? Do your actions align with your faith and devotion to God? Are there areas of your life where you need to more closely align your actions with your beliefs?

6. In light of Solomon's story, how can we better understand and appreciate God's faithfulness and the new covenant through Jesus Christ?

SCRIPTURE: Luke 4:1-12

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are some stories from Scripture that you would rather not read? Are there some specific ones that seem troubling to you?

2. How does Jesus's temptation in the wilderness help us understand our own temptations and weaknesses?

3. Can you share a personal experience where you faced temptation? Where did it come from? How did you respond? How would you respond now?

4. Why is it important for us to pray and ask God to not lead us into temptation and deliver us from evil? What do you think Jesus is really teaching us here about temptation and deliverance?

5. What is the role of Scripture in resisting temptation? How can we avoid misusing it, or trying to “win”?

6. Humility is at the center of this story: Jesus’s humility in choosing to share in our weaknesses and experience temptation… and the humility he calls us to, when it comes to how we might respond. What does humility mean to you? Where do you see it in your life? Where do you want to see it?

7. How might your “wilderness stories” be useful to others?

  SCRIPTURE: Philemon

YOU CAN ALSO READ THIS WEEK’S MANUSCRIPT HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are some stories from Scripture that you would rather not read? Are there some specific ones that seem troubling to you?

2. Get some of your own thoughts about this letter on the table: what do you see here? Why might it be important? Why do you think we tend not to teach it?

3. The big challenge today is about our optimism when it comes to real change. Have you seen personal change in light of your relationship with Jesus? Talk about it! 

4. Where have you grown? Where are you still growing?

5. Have you seen change in others? When? What did it look like? How did it happen?

6. Do you sometimes feel skeptical when it comes to believing in real change? What fears or worries lead you to feel this way?

7. Hold these doubts up to the story of Jesus: how does God seem to feel about our capacity to repent, trust, and change? 

8. Where can you be more optimistic this week?

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 19

YOU CAN READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS MESSAGE HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are some stories from Scripture that you would rather not read? Are there some specific ones that seem troubling to you?

2. Get some of your own thoughts about the passage in Genesis 19 on the table: what do you see here? What do you think is going on? Why might it be important?

3. The first “tool” this morning is remembering that Biblical stories come from a specific cultural context. When you think about Genesis 19 as a “campfire story,” what can you discover about it?

4. The second “tool” is connecting stories to each other. What echoes from other Biblical stories do we see here in Genesis 19?

5. The third “tool” is reflecting on difficult passages without rushing to an answer. Take a moment to think about this story in Genesis 19: what troubles you? Share these concerns with God! What does He show you?

6. What does this story teach us about hospitality in particular?

7. Compare the story of Lot’s wife in Genesis 19 with the conversion of Saul in Acts 13: what has changed about the consequences of looking at God? Why did this change?

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 4:24-26

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS MESSAGE HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What are some stories from Scripture that you would rather not read? Are there some specific ones that seem troubling to you?

2. Kenny’s main encouragement this morning is that even when the Bible is uncomfortable, it is still useful. What do you think about this?

3. Get some of your own thoughts about the passage in Exodus 4 on the table: what do you see here? What do you think is going on? Why might it be important?

4. The first “tool” this morning is remembering that Biblical stories come from a specific cultural context. When you think about Exodus 4 as a “campfire story,” what can you discover about it?

5. The second “tool” is connecting stories to each other. What echoes from other Biblical stories do we see here in Exodus 4?

6. The third “tool” is reflecting on difficult passages without rushing to an answer. Take a moment to think about this story in Exodus 4: what troubles you? Share these concerns with God! What does He show you?

7. How can you read the Bible more courageously this week? Who can you invite to read, reflect, and discuss it with you?