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WEEK 4 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

March 2, 2025

Practicing the way – Part 4

Introduction:

This is a series meant to reshape the way we live as followers of Jesus. Becoming an apprentice of Jesus requires we actively work to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what He did. We want to follow in His steps so closely that we become covered in the dust of our Rabbi.

Bottom Line: As followers, we are to say and do all the things Jesus.

Something To Talk About:

But how do we actually live like He did? As the church, we are called to not only follow Jesus in spirit but also continue His work on earth, with the end goal of doing what He did. In this teaching, we explore the next steps in forming our lives around Jesus’s practices and rhythms.

  1. Making space for the gospel: Making room for Jesus means prioritizing Jesus in your life and developing a close relationship with Him. Making room for the gospel means actively prioritizing and integrating the teachings of Jesus Christ into your life by setting aside time for prayer, studying scripture, and consciously aligning your thoughts and actions with Christian values, essentially giving the Gospel a central place in your decision-making and daily life. Make space in your heart and mind for Jesus. Seek Jesus’ guidance in your decisions. Align your actions with Jesus’ teachings. This often requires letting go of other priorities that might hinder this focus. Making space for the gospel may require you to do some spiritual housekeeping. What boxes are cluttering up your heart, making it difficult for the gospel to navigate? 
  2. Preaching the gospel:  The world needs to hear about Jesus. The gospel has the power to change lives and has been doing so for millennia. It functions as our ongoing hope and confidence before God and is essential for the practical, daily living of the Christian life. The Bible outlines how the gospel fits into every area of life, from the extraordinary to the mundane.  The Gospels are portraits of Jesus. But above all, they’re portraits of Christ crucified, the Savior of His people. From the manger to the empty tomb, the Bible tells people about the crucified Messiah King who suffers and dies to redeem His people and rises again to reign over His inaugurated kingdom. John the Baptist, the first preacher to herald the arrival of Jesus, called Him “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). We should do likewise.
  3. Demonstrating the gospel: In the Scriptures, Jesus never declared the good news without demonstrating its reality. People would not believe Him if He did not do what He said He would do. Jesus lived a life aligned with God’s will, and His ministry was to fulfill prophecy.  The word “gospel” means news, and it’s the news about Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. Gospel demonstration is serving others in the name of Christ, showing His love in actions.  We all want to be someone’s “life-changing revelation” moment. We want a conversation where someone’s life is changed in a spectacular, “come to Jesus” moment. While we may not experience that, we can plant a seed by demonstrating the gospel in our lives. Jesus asks us the same question He asked the disciples: “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do” (Luke 24:38-39). Jesus is here with us right now.  He is present.  He doesn’t want us to look away but to truly see Him and to be salt and light in a world that deeply needs that salt and light.


Discussion Questions:

  1. Over the years, what rhythms have you developed that influence your walk with God?
  2. Which of these rhythms strengthen your spiritual life? Which ones undermine healthy spirituality?
  3. What are your reactions to the word evangelism and why?
  4. When talking about demonstrating the gospel, what stands out to you?
  5. What is the barrier to understanding Jesus’ actions, identifying core principles of His ministry like love, compassion, and service, and then reflecting on how to practically apply those principles in your own life?
  6. What were the primary ways Jesus demonstrated His love for others? (e.g., healing the sick, feeding the hungry, teaching the marginalized) 
  7. Reflect on a time when you felt called to act in a way that mirrored Jesus’ actions, even when it was difficult.
  8. What are some areas in your life where you need to grow in demonstrating Christ-like love and compassion?
  9. How does Jesus’s example challenge your understanding of success and “being a good person?”
  10. As you think about Jesus’s “Great Commission,” what holds you back from actively passing on the good news of Christ?

Take one thing home with you:

Seeing Jesus.

2 Corinthians 3:17–18 says, “For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 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.”

The King James Version is “…beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord…”

In the same way you look in the mirror each morning to see yourself in all detail, the Holy Spirit helps us indirectly see Jesus. As we see Jesus, we become like Him. To become like Jesus, we need to encounter Him, to experience Him as He is. We wish to see Jesus—to know Him as both great and near and enjoy Him forever.