Sermons

Does God use everyday Christians or only the ones who have great speaking, organizational, or fundraising skills? God used everyday folks in Scripture who we see as great because God called them and equipped them. God intends to accomplish His purposes in and through His people! As we read Deuteronomy 6:4-9, we see God calling […]

How do you typically respond when you are wanting to share the message of Jesus and the other person makes it clear that they are not at all interested? How does that impact your desire to share the good news with others? Both John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed the same message: “Repent, for the […]

Have you ever had a season, after your initial salvation, where you were struggling with doubts? What do you think brought on those doubts? If you are no longer in that season, what enabled you to move beyond your doubts? What do you think was causing John the Baptist to wonder if Jesus really was […]

Given the challenges and opposition Jesus tells his disciples they will face, why do you think they willingly responded to Jesus mission for them? If you are a follower of Jesus, what keeps you going when others ridicule or oppose your faith? In Mark 3:13&14, Jesus first calls his disciples to be with him and […]

If some part of your future was going to be very difficult, would you prefer to know in advance or remain blissfully uninformed? What are the benefits and dangers of both approaches? Jesus pulls no punches when he informs the twelve disciples of what they will encounter as they are sent out to represent him […]

As you look at this passage and others, what would you say motivated Jesus' mission to “seek and to save the lost” (Lk 19:10)? As you observe the “crowds” of our culture, what is your typical emotional response? How can we increase our compassion for those who don't yet know Jesus? Are Christians viewed as […]

Matthew marks off chapters 5 -9 as a unit by almost verbatim repeating himself (cf. 4:23 and 9:35). He concisely lets us know what Jesus taught (chapters 5-7) and how Jesus brought healing to the people (chapters 8&9). The “crowds” were amazed by his teaching (7:28) and by his healing (9:33). What aspects of his […]

How do you typically respond to the brokenness and evil that seems to be ubiquitous in our world? How has that brokenness personally impacted you or the ones you love? How does it impact your relationship with Jesus? Each of the situations in this section were “hopeless” from a human perspective, yet Jesus brought healing […]

Going over Chris Kelley's Call List, Grocery List, and To-Do List.

Why were the Pharisees upset that Jesus was dining with Matthew and his friends? What criteria were they using to determine who was acceptable to God and belonged in his kingdom? How does Jesus calling Matthew the tax collector challenge their thinking of who was “in” and who was “out” of God's kingdom? What criteria […]

What obstacles and challenges do you imagine a paralytic in the first century faced on a daily basis? How do you think a chronic disability or illness impacts a person's relationship with God? How can we be like this paralytic's friends to those who suffer from ongoing sicknesses or physical limitations today? Why do you […]

What makes you afraid? What fears tend to keep you up or wake you up at night? How have you attempted to handle your fears? How does your relationship with Jesus influence how you manage fear? “Your level of fear and anxiety is inversely proportional to your understanding of who Jesus truly is and where […]

In this chapter, Matthew seems to go out of his way to show Jesus' Kingdom reaching to those the religious establishment had written off -the unclean (the leper), the pagan (the Centurion), and a woman (Peter's mother-in-law). Do you think there are any groups in our society that have been marginalized by the “religious” yet […]

People who view themselves as “good” people often have a tendency to feel superior to those who are outside their group. Are there any people or groups of people that you tend to look down on spiritually? How do you think Jesus' astounding praise of this pagan centurion would have sounded to the “good” Jews […]

What do you think are some of the reasons that cause people to feel spiritually excluded and distant from God in our culture? How do you typically respond when you've messed up and your behavior has made you “unclean” before God? Imagine for a moment how it would feel to be a leper in first […]

We are shaped (consciously or unconsciously) by the information that enters our minds. Are you regularly allowing the Scriptures to impact your thinking? If so, what does that practically look like in your life? How do you go about trying to understand the Scriptures? What resources, teachers, podcasts, apps and software do you rely on … Allowing the Word to Transform Us Read More »

How do you respond to passages in the Old Testament where God commands the Israelites to “totally destroy” the nations that were occupying the promised land prior to their engaging in battle? Is this type of judgment ever justified? See Deut 9:4&5; Lev. 18:24-28 According to Exodus 34:6, the Lord is “merciful and gracious, slow … Scripture and Violence Read More »

How do you understand the relationship between science and the Scriptures? When there appears to be a contradiction, how do you attempt to resolve it? How has modern science impacted your trust in the Scriptures? Given the reality that the biblical authors lived in a pre-scientific world with a less than accurate understanding (according to … Scripture and Science Read More »

If you regularly study and meditate on the Scriptures, how do you respond when the passage you are reading is part of the OT law? What are some of the unique challenges that come when we seek to meditate on these portions of the Scriptures? How can we respond when someone ridicules the Bible by … Motivation to Meditate on the Law Read More »

How would you describe your relationship with the Scriptures? What role do they play in your life? What obstacles/challenges do you face when trying to understand and apply God's Word to your life? Are there any parts you find frustrating? If you have a regular time set aside to read the Word, what do you … Why study and meditate on these ancient writings? Read More »

Guest sermon by Jason Grizzard discusses being in sync with the Holy Spirit in our lives.

What are the differences between a gift and a wage? Do most religions view “getting right with God” as something you need to work for or something that you simply receive as a gift? If eternal life is truly a free gift (Rom. 6:23), what would motivate a follower of Jesus to obey Jesus's challenging … The Gift of Easter: God FOR Us FOREVER! Read More »

Why does Jesus tell those who are orthodox in their confession and engaged in Christian ministry to “depart from me”? Is it possible for someone to be used by God to bless others spiritually without actually having a relationship with Jesus? How were these false followers of Jesus attempting to justify themselves on the day … “Appearances Can Be Deceiving!” Read More »

How does Jesus' call to watch out for false prophets challenge our culture's notion that all “truth” is relative and individual– especially religious “truth”? Have you ever been duped by a spiritual charlatan who claimed that he/she was delivering God's truth? What do you think motivates false prophets/teachers? Why do you think so many people … Beware the Pseudo-Spiritual! Read More »