Questions from Sunday Night 2-22-09

If you weren't here last night you can catch the podcast here. Here are some questions that can hopefully get the discussion going within your small groups or casual conversations this week.

 
1) We talked about how quickly Jesus moves the conversation from his own title, to his function.  It is also a move from what the disciples believe to how they live.  Talk about some ways in which you have seen this transition in your own spiritual journey.

 

2) Why do you think this idea of "Denying Yourself" is given such a foundational role in our identity as a disciple of Christ?

3) Have you had any experiences when the counter intuitive act of self denial led to something important, meaningful, and/or surprising?

4) Is anyone going to be commemorating the season of Lent in any ways that would be applicable?  Is there any way that the others in the group can help you as you do this?

5) What do you see as more difficult for you: The idea of martyrdom (dying for Christ if need be) or the idea of daily sacrificial living?

Questions from Sunday Night 2-15-09

This week's message is now up on our podcast page, if you were not there you can get the message by clicking on this link.

Here are some questions for you to kick around this week.

1.) Do you have any stories (funny or not so funny) of when you struggled with the label that was put on you?

2.) Why are titles/labels dangerous in these situations?

3.) Can you think of other people who you have probably done injustice to by the labels that you have given them?

4.) Why do you think Jesus told his disciples not to talk to anyone about Him as Messiah?

5.) Do you think you have ever "boxed Christ in" during your faith walk?

This weeks questions...

If you did not get a chance to come out last night we have posted the podcast here.  Here are some questions for you that can hopefully get the discussions going this week.

1.) What are some of the things that you put a lot of hope in that will happen "one day" in your life?

2.) Can you think of some of the positive things that have come from a hope and faith in "One Day"?

3.) Can you think of some negative things that have come from focusing too much on "One Day"?

Read this quote from Fred Craddock -

“Everyone had a sermon under the title ‘When the Messiah Comes’ a message including every hope, every dream, every ideal condition for which the heart longs.  It is no wonder that the church’s message that the Messiah has come and he is Jesus has not been as popular.  To believe the Messiah has come means we can no longer shape him to fit our dreams; he shapes us to fit God’s will.  That is a difficult adjustment.  There is enough misery in the world to make the message that a Messiah will come believable; there is enough misery in the world to make the message that the Messiah has come unbelievable.  The first and major task of a Messiah is to get people to quit looking for one.”
-    Fred Craddock

4.) Do you agree that it is easier to gather a crowd around the idea that messiah is coming one day, rather than the belief that the Messiah has already come?  Why?

5.) What are some things that you know you want to have in your life "One Day" that you are (or should be) working towards today?

6.) Is there any ways that you as the family of Christ can help each other with those things?

Questions from 2-1-2009

We spent some time last night talking about the feeding of the 5,000 from Luke 9.  If you were not there you can catch the talk on itunes or get it here. 

Here are some discussion questions for you.

1.) Just as an icebreaker why don't you share some of the unique things that let you know you are among family. (i.e. Mike talked about his family always eat off each other's plates)

2.) We mentioned that it's possible for some of the most profound ministry moments to happen in the unplanned/ off-the-clock moments.  Have you found that to be true?  Do you have any particular examples of this happening.

"Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here. He replied, "You give them something to eat."

3.) Do you find yourself giving into the temptation of asking God to do things in this world that we could/should be doing in Christ's name?

4.) Talk a little about what it means to you when we say that it is both important that we "give them something to eat" , while remember that man does not live on bread alone.

5.) What are some practical ways that you as a group or as individuals can do more to embody the open table of Christ?

Hope these help continue the conversation!

Questions from Sunday Night 1-26-2009

I have posted the talk from last night on the podcast page here.
 1/25/09 "Questionable Kingdom Builders".  Or you can find it by subscribing through iTunes.  Here are some discussion questions that might help lead to some further thought on the topic.

1. Does it seem like a good or bad idea to leave the task of building the Kingdom to all of us?

2. We talked about the nature of kingdom (upside down/backwards).  In what ways have you seen the power of that kind of kingdom building in your own life?

3.  Was there a time in your life when the "questions" were as important or more to your growth than the "answers"?

4.  What are some of those big questions that you have encountered which even when answered have just opened up another world of new questions?

5.  What are some way that you can live questionably in the context of your life?

Weekly Sunday Night Questions....

 
We are going to begin to post some discussion questions each week based on the previous Sunday night's talk.  These will begin to be posted on Mondays and will serve as the starting point for our small group discussions. If you are not able to be a part of a small group we hope that these questions might encourage further exploration f the themes and ideas we are examining in the book of Luke.

The talk from last week can be heard online here, or you can subscribe to us through iTunes.  Here are some questions to maybe get the discussion going a little.

1. Who is someone that has modeled the love of God in your life?


2. Do you find it easy or difficult to think of God as a Father who is pleased by our attempts at imitation (even if we are not particularly good at the imitation)?


3. When all is said and done what do you hope will be said about the life that you lived?


4. What keeps you from living that kind of life?


5. How can we as God's family help each other lead the lives we would like?

Sunday Night

 
I wanted to thank you again for your kindness as I shared some of what I learned from my friend and teacher Dr. Daniel Goodman.

The podcast from last night is up now.

In case any of you are interested there are some resources that people have put together that gather some of his sermons and teaching.  You can find them at the following links.

Here are some sermons

Here are some recordings from a New Testament class he was teaching at Gardner Webb

Grace and Peace,
Mike