Justice, Mercy, and Neighboring

Justice, Mercy, and Neighboring

The world is broken, frayed at the edges — but the King has come, Anointed by Spirit, with healing in his hands! In his life and  ministry, Jesus gathers up all this old, sin-tarnished, shame-tattered, sick and dying world in arms, eventually bearing it all in his body on the cross. He takes it all into the grave with him, walking out 3 days later, alive and new, and pulling the world through with him! And he’s gathering a Family — those who’ve heard the news of restoration and are experiencing its in-breaking, who sit and listen and receive his mission and ministry, who cease their anxious striving and put trust in him and his work. And it is that very Family who then respond as he calls them to follow him and his way, participating in the ministry of Restoration. Jesus calls us to join him in the world as Missionaries, proclaiming and demonstrating the kingdom in the power of the Spirit, and as Neighbors, moving with compassionate care toward the frayed edges of the social fabric.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Read Luke 10. Notice the 3 separate movements: v.1-24, v.25-37, and v.38-42. Give each section a title.

2. Each section is a snapshot of what it means to “take up our cross and follow Jesus.” What does each highlight?

3. A disciple is a Spirit-Empowered Missionary, a Compassionate Neighbor, and Quiet Contemplative. Which draws you?

4. Which of the 3 do you find most difficult, foreign, or out of your comfort zone? Why?

5. This week, prayerfully consider what it would look like to take a step forward in each of these categories. Do it!

November 20, 2022 - Steve Hart

Crowds, Confessors, and Crosses

Crowds, Confessors, and Crosses

Every character in Luke 9 seems to have the same basic question: who exactly is Jesus? Is he a revolutionary? Is he the Messiah? A circus act? A reincarnation of Moses or Elijah? But when heaven breaks open and the answer is given, his disciples must reckon with Jesus being much more than they imagined... and much more demanding of them. But they will discover that there is more for them as they go deeper in Christ, and he's inviting his disciples into more NOT so they can do more but so they can receive more.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. In what ways are you “Proclaiming the Kingdom and healing” (verse 2)? Are there opportunities around you that you could step into this week?

2. “Jesus invites his disciples into greater responsibility not so they can do more, but so they can receive more.” What are some of the things we receive as we step into greater responsibility and trust in Jesus?

3. What does it mean for you to “take up your cross daily” (verse 23)?

4. Read Luke 9:57-62. What does this teach us about following Jesus?

November 13, 2022 - Jon Schuler

All In The Family

All in The Family

The further we go in Luke, the more we see Jesus inviting people in: He is preaching and demonstrating the Kingdom of God, but ultimately he’s looking for people who will really hear him and join him. He isn’t interested in large crowds. He doesn’t want to just upend religion and question the status quo. He wants to build a family — a spiritual family of brothers and sisters — who will be with him and do the work of preaching and demonstrating the Kingdom with him. Jesus has come to reweave the fabric of Shalom, and as individuals experience him, his ministry, and his message, they become participants with him in the work. To be a part of Jesus’ family means we not only listen and receive from him, but that we also get involved and do the work alongside him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Read Luke 8 this week. What stands out? Who are the major players, and what do they encounter in Jesus?

2. Spend some time on the parable (v.4-8) and Jesus’ explanation of it (v.9-15). What makes for good soil?

3. Notice how the description of good soil (v.15) is similar to Jesus’ description of his true family (v.21). What’s he saying?

4. In what ways are you a hearer or recipient of the ministry of Jesus? How has the good news met you?

5. In what ways are you a doer or participant in the ministry of Jesus? How is the good news going forward through you?

November 6, 2022 - Steve Hart

Faith, Forgiveness, and Love

Faith, Forgiveness, and Love

Luke continues his message of crystallizing the kingdom and here he gives some great pictures of those who get the blessing and those who miss out. The key to God’s kingdom has always been faith. I believe who God says He is and that He is going to accomplish the redemptive restoration that He said He would. The opposite of faith is to be offended and make ourselves autonomous from the need for God and a savior. Luke paints this picture well in chapter 7.

Questions for Discussion

1. What is a way you describe who Jesus is and what He came to do?

2. In the sermon, Scott mentioned that “Autonomy from God is the original sin.” What did he mean by this (FYI, he heard that phrase in a John Mark Comer podcast and didn’t come up with it himself)?

3. What are places in your life that Jesus is pointing out that are autonomous from him (offended by Him being in control) and need to be prayed about and talked about with other Jesus followers?

4. What are ways you can practice and daily remind yourself of your answer to question #1?

October 30, 2022 - Scott Cooley

Breaking All the Rules

Breaking All the Rules

Jesus came to fulfill the law and reconstitute Israel. He did this by perfectly obeying the law, pushing up against the extra legalistic weight of their rules, and restoring the spirit behind the letter of the law. Jesus also came to bring peace and life to humanity. He did this by perfectly entering into humaniti’s suffering, pushing against the rules that keep us bound, and restoring life. In this chapter, we see Jesus restore a man with a withered hand and recognize that this compassionate act was much more than physical healing, it was an act of cosmic restoration. Jesus came to restore and claims that everyone who comes to him, hears his words, and does them will flourish.

Questions for Discussion

1. Read Luke 6 this week and spend some time in quiet rest - with Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath.

2. In what ways do you relate to the man with the withered hand?

3. What rules do you live by? How are they stunting your life?

4. In what ways are you like the religious elite? How do you use the rules of life to build your own kingdom? What ways of living would Jesus challenge?

October 23, 2022 - Gabe Shippam

All the Wrong People

All the Wrong People

Jesus is a conundrum: He simply doesn’t fit our preconceived ideas. In Luke 5, we see 4 vignettes of Jesus’ engagement with people, and through them, we see the multifaceted ministry of Jesus. In Jesus, salvation is personal, disrupting our sense of self and rearranging our priorities in life. Salvation is also communal, as it restores us to community, connection, and relationship. Salvation is also vertical, dealing with our sin problem and restoring us to God. And finally, Salvation is outward, always moving through us to the networks and neighborhoods within which we have favor. Jesus does extraordinary things, and when we encounter him absolutely nothing can stay the same!

Questions for Discussion

1. Read Luke 5.1-32 this week, and spend some time summarizing each of the 4 encounters described.

2. In each story, someone meets Jesus of Nazareth, and there’s a surprise transformation. Describe each surprise.

3. What does Jesus bring to each person he encounters? What happens to them when they meet Jesus?

4. Which of the 4 most resonates with you and your story? In what ways? 

5. The story of Levi shows us that what Jesus does to us he wants to do through us. Discuss!

October 16, 2022 - Steve Hart

The Mission of Jesus

The Mission of Jesus

After 40 days in the wilderness doing battle with the devil, Jesus launches his public ministry. He takes Isaiah 61 as his personal mission statement — “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” — a remarkable passage to claim as his own! But when Jesus begins to explain what he means by it — that he’s come to bring God’s kingdom to outsiders, religious failures, and spiritual lepers — the whole synagogue of church folks are filled with wrath and attempt to toss him off a cliff. But Jesus has come to bring the kingdom of God to the least, last, and lowest, and he will not be deterred. He passes through the angry mob and gets right to work healing the sick, freeing the captives, and proclaiming the good news of God’s grace. Its an explosive start!

Questions for Discussion

1. Read Luke 4 this week, paying special attention to v.18-19. What is Jesus saying by quoting this text from Isaiah

2. As you look at the text, who are the poor, the captives, the blind, and the oppressed that he’s come to bring good news?

3. The main contrast of the text is between the complacent church goers (who miss out on the kingdom) and the sick, diseased, and demonized people (who experience the in-breaking of the kingdom!). Who do you more identify with, and why?

4. Why is God’s kingdom is always moving toward the margins, the needy, and the outsiders? What’s the deal with that?!

5. Read v.38-39, the story of Simon’s mother-in-law. Where have you experienced the healing of Jesus? And how has that healing freed you to serve?

October 9, 2022 - Steve Hart

Fulfillment

Fulfillment

The goal of Luke's Gospel is to give us Jesus - the real deal, in all his goodness, might, and humility. In response, we say: “Jesus, you are the only hope of the world — you are my only hope. I admit my share in the responsibility for the world as it is. Forgive my injustice. Burn out my idolatrous self-reliance. Make me whole. Make me new. You alone are my salvation, and I give my entire allegiance to you.”

Questions for Discussion

1. Read Luke 3. Answer the 4 Questions: Who is God? What has he done? Who are we? How ought we live?

2. Why does it matter that John identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s Old Testament promises?

3. Take a moment to imagine a world where “the crooked roads become straight and the rough ways become smooth, and all people see God’s salvation.” Describe what that sort of world would look like.

4. What do we learn by reading about the baptism of Jesus?

October 2, 2022 - Steve Hart