The whole truth

If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: The truth is...

Reading: John 18:28-40

1. What was the time and what had been going on during the night? (18:1-27).
2.  What concession did Pilate make to the Jews? (29) Why do you think that was? What was the Jews reply? (30)
3. What did Pilate ask the Jews and how did they respond? Is there anything wrong with their answer? Why did the Jews demand Jesus be tried by Pilate? How does this fulfil Jesus’ words in 12:32-33? (32)
4. What did Pilate ask Jesus? (33) Why did he ask that? How did Jesus respond?
5. Jesus taught Pilate about his kingdom, what did He teach and what does this mean? (36)
6. Why is Jesus’ kingship different from the kingship in the world? What does it mean, “All who love the truth recognise that what I say is true.”? (37)
7. Why did Pilate ask, “What is truth?” (38) Did he stand on the side of truth? How did Pilate seek a compromise? (39) Why did he fail? (40)
8. What can we learn from Jesus who was rejected by people? (Isa 53:3-5)

Do You Know Your King?

If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Do You Know Your King?

Reading: Matthew 21: 1-17

1. What do the OT prophets tell us about this passage? Zechariah 9:9, Daniel 9 and Isaiah 62:11;
2. Why did Jesus do what He did, specifically at that time?
3. Who's King is Jesus? Does what we believe make any difference to His kingship? Why?
4. Discus as a group how Jesus first coming as king was different to what we should expect at His second coming. (Rev 19f);
5. People misunderstood Jesus intentions on that first Palm Sunday, how might people still miss the point?

Dying to Live?

If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Dying to Live?

Reading: John 12:20-36

1. Why did the Greeks need to ask to see Jesus?
2. Does Jesus see them? Explain.
3. Discuss the powerful pictures of the grain "dying" and the walking in the light. How can we apply these things to our own lives?
4. Verses 27-34: what are the important things about what Jesus is saying here? Is any of this confusing? If so talk it through as a group (refer back to the sermon).
5. Spend some time praying for each other as a group and the wider church, that we would take this teaching seriously.

Getting to grips with: Being an Expectant Church

If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Getting to grips with: Being an Expectant Church


Readings: Matthew 24; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

1. What is the point of advent?
2. What does the bible tell us about Jesus return?
3. Has anyone in the group heard a sermon series on Revelation? Why does it, and other parts of the bible like it, often get ignored? Does it matter?
4. If we're expecting Jesus to return what difference should it make in our lives and the life of the church? In the sermon we covered 3 but there will be more, spend some time as a group discussing each one.
5. Pray through the application of this study for each other, as a group and for the wider church.

Who Killed Jesus?

Reading: John 11: 45 - 57
 
If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Who Killed Jesus?  

1. Verses 47-48 This is a major change in tempo, the top people were meeting?
1. What made them react so seriously and quickly?
2. What was the aim of their meeting?
3. Did they doubt Jesus miraculous power?
2. Verses 49-52 are the key to this passage.
1. Why are these verses important? In the sermon we picked out four points, what were they?
2. Can you find any others?
3. Who Killed Jesus and why?
4. Think back over the first 11 chapters of John.
1. Discuss as a group things which might have struck you for the first time or you have been reminded about?
2. What picture of Jesus has come through John's account so far?
3. What have you picked up through the teaching, discussion and prayer around John that has impacted your life? Talk this through as a group.

Death Defeated! Really

Reading: John 11: 17 - 44
 
If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Death Defeated! Really?  

1. Why did Jesus only arrive after Lazarus had been dead 4 days?
2. Discuss what Martha and Mary said to Him? 
3. Jesus said 'I Am the Resurrection and The Life' What does that mean?
4. What condition was Lazarus in when the tomb was opened and why does that matter to John's telling of the story here? 
5. This raising of Lazarus had a significant effect on the people present and the whole world - what effect has it had on you? and what have you learned? 
6. Spend some time in prayer for each other, for the Church and our community in the area between Kings Avenue and Deacons Lane. That we would live in the strength and Power of Christ; for His Glory

Some Application Questions to take home

1. There may be things in your life that do you not believe that Jesus has the power to put right, heal, and/or change? Pray this through.

2. How could your life change if you were to believe Jesus fully?

3. Mary fell at the feet of Jesus. How do we place our burdens at the feet of Jesus?

Why would Jesus do that?

Reading: John 11: 1 - 16
 
If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Will You Live For Christ?  
Lot's of questions, try to cover at least 5 including Q.1

1. First consider verse 16 - Thomas' response to Jesus. In the sermon we looked at living and dying for Jesus. How might we not live for Jesus?
2. Was sickness part of God’s original design? 
3. What was Jesus’relationship with Lazarus & his sisters?
4. What message did his sisters send to Jesus when Lazarus became sick? What did you learn from their example about how you should pray to God?
5. Why do people (you?) blame God for sickness?
6. Why did Jesus wait for two days after hearing Lazarus was sick? Was this cruel? How would you have felt if you were Lazarus’ sister?
7. What  kind of love did Jesus have for Lazarus & his sisters? Was His delay in coming in keeping with that love? 
8. How is God’s perspective different from yours? How can you know that God will
   always love you?
9. Can you glorify God even when sick? If so how?

Some sheep think they can cope without a shepherd: do you?

Reading: John 10:1-21
 
If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Have You Got A Good Shepherd?  

There are too many questions here for one study, so please do select those you want to study more as a group.

1)   Who is Jesus speaking to? (see chapter 9) Who acted as a good shepherd to  the man born blind and who didn’t? Why?

2)   What does the shepherd know about his sheep, and what is the significance of this? (Ps. 139:2&3).

a)      How does he care for them? (Ps. 23).

b)      What does it mean that he goes ahead of them?

c)      What is the lesson here for us today?

3)   What do the sheep know about the shepherd? Why is this important? (Ps. 100:3).

a)      How can we know the voice of our Shepherd, God? (Rom. 1:18-21; Ps.53:1).

b)      Did Jesus' listeners understand him? Why?

4)  What claim does Jesus make in verse 7, and what did he mean?

5)  What does he promise to those who enter through him? (7, 9, 10b).

6)  Is there any other way to God? What does he say about all others?

7)  What does Jesus claim about himself? (11, 14a) and what backs up his claim? (11, 14-18; 1 Sam. 17:34-36, 45-47).

8)  How does the hired hand act when it comes to the crunch? Why? (12, 13) How is he like the shepherd? How and why is he fundamentally different to the shepherd?

9)   What does Jesus say about his "other sheep"? (16) Who is he talking about?

10) Why do all people need a shepherd?

11) Why did Jesus lay down his life for the sheep? (17, 18; Isa. 11:6) and what does  this teach us about God? (Isa. 42:6; 49:6; 56:6)?

12) How can there be one flock and one shepherd?

13) How can we be good sheep?

14) What does this passage say, if anything about the shepherds of his flock?

15) How did the people listening respond to Jesus' words? How will you respond?

 

Not Just A Light

Reading: John 8:12 - 30
 
If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Not Just A Light  

1. Discuss verse 12, what does it mean? What is the impact of this verse on us today, and how should we apply it?
2. Compare verse 13 - 18 with John 5:31. What is different about the two situations?
3. Consider how taking Jesus words out of context can have devastating consequences.
4. What were the Pharisees getting at in verse 19?
5. Take a look at the remainder of the passage what was Jesus trying to get the Pharisees to understand?

Study Questions: The Resurrection huh, that’s crazy!

Reading: Luke 24:1-12

If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: The Only Hope  

1. Why Does the resurrection matter? (c.f. Romans 4: 24&25; 1 Corinthians 15: 53-57) Spend some time discussing this.
2. Why do you think the women had to go to the tomb - why didn't the angels save them the journey and meet them at home?
3. Discuss verse 5. In particular consider a) how the women might have responded to this and b) how we might, "seek the living from among the dead" in our lives? 
4. Discuss verses 6-8. What are the things we can learn from these verses for our lives?
5. How did the women respond to what they saw, heard and experienced? How does this compare to the apostles response and what can we learn from this?
6. There are countless people who need to hear the truth about the resurrection, what are you going to do about it?
7. Spend some time in prayer for each other and for our church as a whole, that we may come more and more to live in obedience to Jesus Christ, and fulfil, in our time, Matthew 28: 19-20.