Opening Question: What would you do if you became the richest person in the world?
Read Luke 12:13-21 as a group, and then again by yourselves:
13 Someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "tell my brother to divide the family property with me." 14 Jesus replied, "Friend, who made me a judge between you and your brother?" 15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person has." 16 Then Jesus told them a story. He said, "A certain rich man's land produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What should I do? I don't have any place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my storerooms and build bigger ones. I will store all my grain and my other things in them. 19 I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things stored away for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink and have a good time." ' 20 "But God said to him, 'You foolish man! This very night I will take your life away from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21 "That is how it will be for anyone who stores things away for himself but is not rich in God's eyes."
Discuss the following questions:
1. What did the person in verse 13 want?
2. Does verse 15 agree with today’s world of advertising? Explain.
3. How would you describe the rich man in the story?
4. Was Jesus teaching that it’s wrong to be rich, save money or enjoy life?
5. What does it mean to be “rich in God’s eyes” and how can that happen?
Friday, June 27, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Friday, June 20th
Opening Question: Do you ever pray? If so, what do you usually pray about?
Read Luke 11:1-13
Discuss the following:
1) Why does Jesus call God “Father”? How is God like a father?
2) What kinds of things did Jesus say we should pray about?
3) What are some of the benefits of prayer, according to Jesus?
4) Do verses 8-10 mean God has to give us whatever we pray for?
5) What does 1 John 5:14, 15 teach us about how God answers prayer?
6) Do you have any special prayer requests? Close in prayer.
Read Luke 11:1-13
Discuss the following:
1) Why does Jesus call God “Father”? How is God like a father?
2) What kinds of things did Jesus say we should pray about?
3) What are some of the benefits of prayer, according to Jesus?
4) Do verses 8-10 mean God has to give us whatever we pray for?
5) What does 1 John 5:14, 15 teach us about how God answers prayer?
6) Do you have any special prayer requests? Close in prayer.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friday, June 13th
Opening Question: Have you ever helped a stranger? Tell your story.
Read Luke 10:25-37
25 One day an authority on the law stood up to put Jesus to the test. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to receive eternal life?" 26 “What is written in the Law?" Jesus replied. "How do you understand it?" 27 He answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' 28 “You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do that, and you will live." 29 But the man wanted to make himself look good. So he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Robbers attacked him. They stripped off his clothes and beat him. Then they went away, leaving him almost dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that same road. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 A Levite also came by. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side too.
33 But a Samaritan came to the place where the man was. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him. 34 He went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey. He took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins. He gave them to the owner of the inn. 'Take care of him,' he said. 'When I return, I will pay you back for any extra expense you may have.' 36 “Which of the three do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?" 37 The authority on the law replied, "The one who felt sorry for him." Jesus told him, "Go and do as he did."
Word List:
authority on the law – an expert in the religious laws that the Jewish people of Israel had to follow.
Jerusalem – the modern day capital of Israel.
Jericho – a city near Jerusalem.
priest / Levite – religious leaders of Israel.
Samaritan – people who were hated by the Jews, because their blood was not 100 % Jewish.
Discussion Questions:
1. Make a list of all the things the Samaritan did for the man.
2. Why do you think the priest and the Levite did nothing to help?
3. According to this story, who is our neighbor? Explain.
4. What does it mean to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”?
5. How can we love God and our neighbor in 2008? Give examples.
Read Luke 10:25-37
25 One day an authority on the law stood up to put Jesus to the test. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to receive eternal life?" 26 “What is written in the Law?" Jesus replied. "How do you understand it?" 27 He answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' 28 “You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do that, and you will live." 29 But the man wanted to make himself look good. So he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Robbers attacked him. They stripped off his clothes and beat him. Then they went away, leaving him almost dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down that same road. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 A Levite also came by. When he saw the man, he passed by on the other side too.
33 But a Samaritan came to the place where the man was. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him. 34 He went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey. He took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins. He gave them to the owner of the inn. 'Take care of him,' he said. 'When I return, I will pay you back for any extra expense you may have.' 36 “Which of the three do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?" 37 The authority on the law replied, "The one who felt sorry for him." Jesus told him, "Go and do as he did."
Word List:
authority on the law – an expert in the religious laws that the Jewish people of Israel had to follow.
Jerusalem – the modern day capital of Israel.
Jericho – a city near Jerusalem.
priest / Levite – religious leaders of Israel.
Samaritan – people who were hated by the Jews, because their blood was not 100 % Jewish.
Discussion Questions:
1. Make a list of all the things the Samaritan did for the man.
2. Why do you think the priest and the Levite did nothing to help?
3. According to this story, who is our neighbor? Explain.
4. What does it mean to “love your neighbor as you love yourself”?
5. How can we love God and our neighbor in 2008? Give examples.
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