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WEEK 1 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

February 9, 2025

Practicing the way 

Introduction:

Practicing the way is a series meant to reshape how we live as Jesus followers. Becoming an apprentice of Jesus requires we actively work to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and carry out his Kingdom vision for the world.

Something To Talk About:

To be a follower of Jesus is not just a label but a commitment to actively live a life aligned with His teachings, embracing the challenges and rewards that come with placing Him as the central figure in our lives.  Practicing the Way explores Jesus’ universal invitation to follow Him. The meaning of “follow Jesus” is rooted in 1st-century practices of rabbis and apprentices, which inform our understanding of how to follow Jesus today.

  1. Be with Jesus: The goal is to be with Jesus. It’s pretty straightforward: to experience the life of Jesus, we must become more like Jesus. There’s never been a more compelling figure in human history than Jesus Christ. He can heal the sick, give sight to the blind, love His enemies, stand for truth, and shine light into the darkest and most desperate situations. He came from the light and perfection of Heaven to show us what the Father is like and to make a way for us to enjoy eternal life and friendship with Him. He came not of His own desire but to accomplish the will of the Father.  Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that Jesus set aside the privileges of deity, emptying Himself of His outward glory by reducing Himself to the form of a lowly servant. If Jesus is showing us the Father, then the way of the Kingdom is humility and surrender. If that is how Jesus prayed, my prayer should be the same. God, take, change, and make me more like Jesus. 
  2. Become like Jesus: “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit wants to reproduce Jesus’ character in us. In other words, the Holy Spirit aims to make us more and more like Jesus. The Spirit’s work is to nudge, prod, move, and shape us to think more like Jesus, to mirror Jesus in our character better, and to help us increasingly love like Jesus in our daily lives. So God is slowly remaking that image in us—to become like Jesus!
  3. Do as Jesus did: One of the best arguments for Christianity and the best argument against Christianity is the lives of Christians. Not only are we a witness for Jesus, but we’re also part of the evidence of His reality. Our lives need to be Exhibit A. What will turn your city, your community—any place—to God is the evidence of a life transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. To do that, we must actively mirror Jesus’ life and actions, prioritizing love, compassion, service to others, and complete submission to God’s will, essentially living a life that reflects His teachings and character in everyday situations. That starts with imitating Jesus’ character and actions. Consider how Jesus interacted with those considered lower in society and strived to approach others with the same humility and respect.
    Reflect on Jesus’ actions towards the sick, the marginalized, and the suffering, and actively seek opportunities to show similar compassion in your own life.
    Examine how Jesus forgave those who wronged him, and practiced extending forgiveness to others, even when it’s difficult.  Jesus’ greatest commandment was to love God and love others as yourself. How can you actively demonstrate love in your daily interactions? 


Discussion Questions:

  1. You can’t become what you can’t imagine. Do you agree? Why or why not?
  2. Who or what fuels your imagination as you think about how your life could become more like Jesus’ life?
  3. What does it mean to become more like Jesus?  To what extent should we strive to be like Jesus?
  4. What does following Jesus mean in practical life? 
  5. Describe some of your character traits that reflect the character of Christ.
  6. Where do you see areas in your life where you need to surrender your will to follow Jesus fully?
  7. How can you actively incorporate Jesus’ teachings on love, forgiveness, and service into your daily interactions with others?
  8. Do you live out what you believe as a follower of Jesus? Are you sensitive to the Holy Spirit prompting you to be aligned in your thoughts, beliefs, and actions?
  9. What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful, or difficult to understand from this sermon?
  10. What is something God wants you to do now?

Take one thing home with you:

How do I apply this message to my life today? It would be awesome if Jesus walked up to me and said, “Follow me.” As children of God and believers in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and His sacrifice that saves us all, we are called to follow Jesus. We are called to follow where He goes and leave all else behind.

It doesn’t mean that God will lead us to quit our jobs, sell our houses, and head out into the mission fields overseas….but He might. It might mean that God has already led us to our mission field and is the light where we work today, live, and in our community and neighborhoods. He may lead us to be like Him with our co-workers, friends, and families. We need to be prepared to follow Him wherever He leads.