“But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.” – Luke 14 18-20   

Most of us are pretty good at making excuses. Usually, our excuses are to explain our actions, whether good or bad, or to persuade someone to our way of thinking. For example, you  know you were speeding but are trying to figure out some reason for letting you off the hook: “Oh, I thought the sign I 95 meant the speed limit…glad you didn’t catch me over on SR 210 earlier.” Or “my car must have some sort of recall, that is the only practical reason for my drastic acceleration and speeding.”

Jesus tells a parable about some people who gave some not-so-good excuses to get them off the hook from an invite to a feast. It is the parable of the Great Feast and it is found in Luke 14. Jesus went to the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath day. He was at a dinner party when He told this parable. He uses a story similar to the event He is at. Jesus said,“a certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.” At the time of the banquet, He sent His servant to tell those who had been invited, “Come, for everything is now ready.”

But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, “I have just bought a field, and I must go. “Another said, “I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.” Still another said, “I just got married, so I can’t come.” The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.” But after that, there was still room.

An excuse is a seemingly polite way of rejecting someone. These guests didn’t want to come to the banquet. They were thinking of the things they wanted to do or get done and not thinking about the host who had gone to all the trouble of preparing the banquet for those he had invited.

We always like to think our situation is different. It’s not. It doesn’t matter how legitimate the excuse is; they help nothing and hold us back from everything. We like to think of our excuses as “valid reasons,” but the fact is they are still just excuses.

What areas of our lives are we using excuses in? God wants us to lead a small group, volunteer with a specific ministry, or share our testimony with our neighbors, but then fear creeps in. We get nervous, afraid, and start to make excuses. God wants us to trust in Him, have faith, and leave our excuses behind.

 Discussion Questions:

1. What excuses do we make for not doing something we know we should be doing?
2. How hard would it be to go a week without making any excuses? What is it  – hard or not hard?

“ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32.

Most people are complimentary of Jesus even if they are not believers. They may not believe Jesus was the Messiah or the Son of God, but they believe He was an important person in history, a great teacher, and a prophet. But that is nothing new. Even when Jesus walked on the earth doing miraculous things, there were people who were critical and, in some cases, openly hostile to Him. Chief among these people are the scribes and pharisees.

In Mark 2, Jesus has forgiven the sins and healed a paralyzed man. The Pharisees react to this in anger, suggesting Jesus was blaspheming. “But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves,“What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins” (Mark 2:6-7). Verse 8 tells us Jesus knew what they were thinking, so He says, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’?

Jesus’ response is terrific. Is it more difficult to heal a paralyzed man or say, “Your sins have been forgiven you?” Then Jesus performed the more difficult task from a critic’s perspective – He healed the man. The message to the religious leaders was that Jesus had divine authority. He had authority that they did not have. They could not forgive sin, but Jesus could. The same is true today. Only God can forgive our sins.

Most people shy away from criticism. We naturally want to avoid tough conversations where our actions, motives, or ministries are put under another person’s microscope. At the same time, many people don’t like to share critique or criticism with others because they don’t want to come across as judgmental or risk hurting someone’s feelings.

How do you respond to criticism? Well, sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you respond carefully. There is a difference between destructive and constructive criticism. As much as we dislike criticism, do we improve because of constructive criticism? Constructive criticism is an incredible asset. Proverbs 27:6 (NIV) says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted….” Are we better people because people pointed out some things that made us better parents, students,  and leaders? We may miss growth opportunities if we don’t listen to constructive criticism. If we sit back and think about it, we can probably come up with examples where constructive criticism made a difference in our lives.

If you want to find something to be critical about, you can find it anywhere and everywhere. But if you want to look for good, if you want to see God working, if you want people growing, you can see it, and you become what you focus on.

When God allows my life to collide with a difficult person’s, it is an opportunity to act more like Jesus. In other words, difficult people are not meant to bring out the worst in us; they are meant to bring out the Jesus in us. It is an opportunity to display grace.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some of the reasons we reject criticism?
2. How do we tell the difference between constructive and destructive criticism?
3. Is there truth in this criticism from which we can learn?

“And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity[b]— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:44-47.

Many times, we face challenges in life, and we give in instead of persevering. In Mark 2, we have the story of a paraplegic man who desires to be healed, but he has some obstacles to overcome before he can get healed. He enlists the aid of four men who made an almost impossible task possible through perseverance, faith, and a pretty bold, creative approach. The innovative approach was cutting a hole in the roof of someone’s house. The house’s owner was probably not happy that his residence suddenly had a large sunroof.

The Bible says there were four men. You could assume they were friends because their actions would suggest they had a special relationship with this paralytic. Otherwise, why would they serve as stretcher bearers to get this man to Jesus for healing? They couldn’t get close to Jesus because of the crowds, so they dug a hole in the roof. It was an obstacle, but one they overcame by thinking outside the box.

The houses had flat roofs of wood planks covered with branches, thatch, and mud. A ladder accessed them. The stretcher-bearers carried the paralytic up the ladder, dug through the roof, and lowered the paralytic at Jesus’ feet. They were determined to get him to Jesus. The presence of the crowd did not stop them. The potential anger of the homeowner could not stop them. The possibility of rebuke from Jesus did not stop them. Their friend had a need only Jesus could meet. They had to get him to Jesus regardless of the obstacles.

Obstacles are a fact of life that does not change when one becomes a Christian.  An obstacle is anything that stands in our way of accomplishing God’s purposes, both for us, in us, and through us. Obstacles can be personal, originating from within us, or external, originating from the world and people around us. Whenever we face obstacles or any difficult situation or circumstance, it is important we remember that what is huge to us is no problem for God. We must remember that “God can do immeasurably more than all we can ask or think” and that “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”   

We can survive the obstacles even when life is hard. Of course, we can throw in the towel and never attempt anything—but God expects us to take control of our lives and trust Him. It can be hard to implement, but all negative experiences are opportunities to learn from and make us better spiritually. The four men looked at the situation and realized that to help their friend, they needed to go the extra step and do something they may not have wanted to do. They realized that to rise above and out of their current situations, they would need to develop a “whatever it takes” attitude and let nothing get in their way or deter their pursuit of success of getting their paralyzed friend to Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. Obstacles can make us bitter or better. Do you naturally gravitate towards getting bitter or better when encountering challenges?
2. What can you do to leverage those struggles to make you better? 

“They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”  – Mark 2:4-5.

A well-known miracle performed by Jesus is the healing of the paralytic in Capernaum. The miracle itself is extraordinary, but what makes it even more interesting is what it took to get that man to Jesus. This was not a token effort. Because they went the extra mile, this man’s life was radically changed.

Obviously, the paralyzed man could not walk or crawl to Jesus. He had to have help. Mark describes that help as “as four men.” Driven by compassion and faith, the four men carried the paralyzed man to the site. However, they did not find a way to go in to meet Jesus. “… “he house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room even outside the door” (Mark 2:2). But the four men persevered. To overcome the difficulty, they decided to lower the paralyzed man in through the roof. They took him up onto the roof, made a hole in the roof, over where Jesus was, and lowered him to Jesus through the hole: “They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus” (Mark 2:4).

The crowded house was an obstacle, but the four men in the story did not let the crowds stop them from bringing their friend to Jesus. They could have made excuses, but instead, they came up with a plan to get their friend on the roof and dig through it to lower him to Jesus. They decided that bringing their friend to Jesus was worth all the effort.

Houses in Israel at this time often had an exterior staircase that led to a flat roof. Unable to get through the door, these five men make their way up the stairs to the roof. The people in the house likely would have heard the noise of heavy feet clanking around; but Christ continued teaching, and the five men likely strained to listen to where Christ’s voice was coming from to discern where to open up the roof. Roofs back then would have been made of rough rafters with branches or tiles plastered together with something like mud that had dried. It might not have been that difficult to break them apart; however, it would have been unusual and messy to do so while Christ was in the house teaching: imagine pieces of baked mud falling from the ceiling. yet they carried on.   

The four men’s decision to take the paralyzed man to Jesus was motivated by compassion and faith. They had compassion on the paralyzed man, recognized his need, and committed to doing what they could to alleviate the need. They also had faith, believing that their paralyzed neighbor would be healed if they took him to Jesus.

The four men didn’t quit, and neither should we. They didn’t throw up their hands and say, “We gave it the old college try,” and neither should we. They didn’t accept that the door was closed, and neither should we in our efforts to care about people and bring them to Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is it easy or difficult to see others’ needs? Is there a reason we don’t?
2. How do you become someone who cares?

“Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” – Mark 12:43-44.

Some high-stakes poker games are televised on TV. There is usually a group of people around a table with stacks of chips for betting sitting in front of them. As the game proceeds, a player occasionally slides all his chips into the middle of the table and says, “I’m all in.” When players go “all In” in poker, they bet all their remaining chips on a single hand. This move can be exciting and risky, and it is often used as a last resort when a player believes they have a strong hand but do not have enough chips to make a standard bet. Sometimes, the “all-in ” strategy works; sometimes, it doesn’t.

When it comes to commitment to God, God wants us to live with an “all-in” attitude. God is looking for authentic commitment. God wants us to be committed to Him so that the world will know He is important to us. Our commitment to Him is our witness. To be fully committed, to be “all in,” Jesus has to be first in our lives.

Once, Jesus and His disciples went to the temple, where they watched the crowd bring their money and place it in the temple treasury. When the copper coins hit the collection boxes, they made lots of noise. It wasn’t much of a secret which worshipers gave large sums of money and which didn’t. However, no one could know who gave sacrificially except for Jesus.

When a widow came and dropped two small copper coins in the treasury, worth only a fraction of a penny, Jesus pointed her out to His disciples: “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.  For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on” (Mark 12:43-44). This woman was “all-in.” She had cast her lot entirely with God, depending totally and completely upon God to care for her and supply her needs.

Just before He was crucified, Jesus knelt down in the garden of Gethsemane. With His face to the ground, He prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus was faced with the brutality of the cross. It was not the hand He wanted to play. He was a King, but this King had a crown of thorns. But He played the hand that God gave Him. He was all in.

Jesus isn’t satisfied with people who give the bare minimum. He indeed loves you just the way you are, but He also loves you too much to let you stay that way. As you follow Him, He will always call you to new, challenging, and increasing levels of commitment. He wants us to be all in.

 Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to be all in in your mind?
2. What can we do better this week to reflect our being all in?

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”  – Colossians 4:2.

As the Apostle Paul was finishing his letter to the church at Colossae, he penned a sincere and urgent directive to the church: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”

It is important to notice this verse tells us to “devote yourselves.” It doesn’t say God will do this for you. There are an endless number of things we can devote ourselves in life: careers, family, relationships, hobbies, etc. When we dedicate ourselves to something, we typically remain committed through thick and thin. We don’t give up at the first sign of difficulty.  In the same way, God wants you to use your automatic drive to stick to a task, see it through, and apply it to your prayer life.

Look at Luke 11:1: “One day he was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” Apparently, Jesus had just finished praying in the presence of His disciples. Eager to be like Jesus, they asked that He teach them to pray. Notice two things: they wanted to communicate with God through prayer, and they knew they needed guidance.  The disciples were with Jesus day in and day out. Of all the things they could have asked Him to teach them — how to heal, teach or perform extraordinary miracles — they asked how to pray.

Jesus gave the disciples (and us) the Lord’s Prayer to teach them. When praying, the posture of our hearts toward the Lord is more important than our actual words. Life is complicated, but our prayer lives need not be.

Prayer is personal. Prayer is a privilege. It’s not a burden or something on a spiritual checklist. Let go of your expectations about what prayer looks like. You don’t need fancy “thees” and “thous” or other special “church” words. You don’t have to use a formal prayer posture or say specific words. Open your heart to God and share what’s most heavy on it.  Share your concerns, burdens, joys, questions, failures, and the decisions you must make. Prayer is simply spending time with the Lord, bringing our praise and burdens to Him.

The more you pray, the more your prayer language will grow, but as you get started, the most important thing is simply engaging God in conversation.

Prayer is our side of the personal conversation with God. It is an incredible privilege to speak with our divine Creator, knowing He listens and responds wisely. Prayer gives us 24/7 access to our heavenly Father, made possible only by the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for our sins.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is prayer a challenging discipline for you? Why or why not?
2. Why do you think people struggle with prayer today? What obstacles keep us from taking everything to God?  

“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:37-39

Matthew 22 is a well-known and often recited passage of scripture, and for good reason. In this passage, Jesus calls us to care deeply about Him and those He has placed around us in our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods.

In The Message paraphrase of the Bible, Jesus’ coming is expressed in this way: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood…” (John 1:14). He came to live among us to reach us and love us in ways we could understand. God has placed you in your neighborhood for important reasons, one of which is to love your neighbors more intentionally.

So, how can we share God’s love with others? One is to share the gospel. As a church, we hope you’re encouraged to consider what makes Christianity unique and remarkable. Furthermore, we hope you are inspired and emboldened to share your faith. St. Francis of Assisi says, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” The sentiment is very true. Think about how you behave around someone and how that would impact how they view your words.

For example, be intentional about showing kindness to others, even in simple ways. Listen to others: Take the time to hear what someone is saying without judgment or interruption. Serve others: Serving others is a tangible way to show God’s love. Look for ways to serve in your community or church, and be open to opportunities to serve those around you.

Go before God in prayer for your neighbors. Pray specific prayers when you know neighbors well enough to understand their situations. Observe and pray for those you don’t know as well. For example, a house with toys scattered out front is home to a family—even if you don’t know them, pray for God’s grace on their family relationships. Ask God to reveal specific neighbors for whom you can start praying.

Be patient and forgiving: We all make mistakes and fall short. When someone wrongs you, choose to extend forgiveness and patience. This can be a powerful way to show God’s love and grace. Be an encourager by speaking words of encouragement and affirmation to those around you. Be a peacemaker: In a world of conflict and division, be a peacemaker. Seek to reconcile relationships and promote peace and unity.

God’s love is not meant to be hoarded or kept to ourselves. It’s meant to be shared with others. As we love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, we are filled with His love, which overflows to those around us.

Even small sacrifices—of our time or resources—please the Lord. Let’s reach out this week and share God’s love with others.

Discussion Questions:

1. Are we a “display window” for the supernatural love of Christ? In what ways are we accomplishing this mission, and in what ways are we hindering it?

“And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity[b]— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:44-47.

No group of people has more power to do good than the church of Jesus Christ. The members of the family of God have the blessing and responsibility to leverage their collective resources for the glory of God and the expansion of His kingdom. Since Christ is generous, the church should be generous.

Jesus is the church’s model for generosity. During His earthly ministry, Jesus was generous with His time, compassion, and power, and His death on the cross made it possible for people to receive the fullness of God’s love. Since Christ is generous to us, we are responsible as His church to be generous to others. When the church is generous, the community sees God’s love in action.

Acts 2:42-47 shows church members displaying the type of generosity designed to ensure no one would live in need. When Hurricane Michael hit in 2018, the church put their arms around the community. It was amazing to see a kingdom-minded spirit of generosity take the church. The church community showed the love of God in a real way.  There have been many other examples in the years that followed.

As the apostle Paul sat in a dark prison cell, he had the opportunity to contemplate all he had experienced as an ambassador and apostle for Jesus Christ. He wrote a letter to the church at Philippi. As the letter closed, Paul expressed his gratitude to the church for its generosity toward him. At repeated points in his ministry, the church had given financial support to the apostle. In Philippians 4, Paul expressed how the Philippians had blessed him with their generosity at a time when no other church supported him: “As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this”  (Philippians 4:15).

A generous church is a Christ-honoring church. Our goal is to always be known as a generous church, one that is the first to rise up when a need is present. Sometimes, the need impacts members of the body; sometimes, it centers on a missions project, and sometimes, it is concentrated in the community. We pray that God is glorified and that lives are powerfully impacted because of the generosity of Christ’s churches.

Our generosity as believers is much more than an annual fundraiser. It’s a lifestyle. We wouldn’t be His people, and He would not be our God if He had not asked us to give. He’s a giving God, and we’re generous people. By sharing our resources, we excel in another way to live like Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is God the source of generosity? Why or why not?
2. What are our presumptions and beliefs about generosity – generally and regarding specific types? If generosity is enticing or exciting, why aren’t we more generous? 

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer”  – Acts 2:42.

What makes a healthy, vibrant, God-blessed church? What is needed to produce the church community we find in Acts 2?

The Acts 2:42 church didn’t just happen. The early followers of Jesus devoted themselves to the Apostle’s teachings. They devoted themselves to hearing from God through the scriptures, speaking with God in prayer, and belonging to the church.

To understand the Acts 2:42 church, we have to go back to Acts 2:1-4, where the risen Lord Jesus fulfilled ancient promises by pouring out the Holy Spirit upon His disciples. And then we have to go to verses 14 and following where Peter stood up and proclaimed this Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the fulfillment of Israel’s story, and the fulfiller of all of God’s promises. Peter summed up his sermon with these words: “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah”  (Acts 2:36). And so, verse 37, “Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

In Verse 41 we read: “Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.” (Acts 2:41). You cannot have a devoted church without the gospel. You cannot create a vibrant community without preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is crucified and risen. You can’t get an Acts 2 church without the gospel.

The first characteristic is devotion to the apostle’s teaching. That’s right there in verse 42. “And they devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching. They were sharing life with each other, literally, as verse 45 unpacks: They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need” (Acts 2:45).

They were committed. We need to remember that being a Christian was quite a cost in those days. Following Jesus was dangerous, and you didn’t do it casually. When you crossed the line of saying, “I’m in, I’m a part of this family,” you were in. You were committed. And, of course, this commitment shows up simply in the word “devoted” (Luke 2:42). This word speaks of consistancy and perseverance. These people were committed to being the church together.

How can we be this kind of community today? How can our church be marked by the characteristics that marked the early church? Being committed to the church is more than a gold star for attendance; it is a commitment to the work of our Lord. It requires submission to His authority and active participation to be used and offered with the full abilities of our gifts and talents. It means being devoted.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to you to be devoted to God? To the church?

“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:14-16. 

 The Message paraphrases 1 Peter 1:14-16 like this: “…let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” From Genesis to Revelation, scripture is filled with verses on the holiness of God. Exodus 15:11 asks, “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord— glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?” And 1 Samuel 2:2 declares, “No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you;  there is no Rock like our God.”

At its essence, holiness is nothing less than conformity to the character of God. Many believe that holiness is a bridge too far, is out of our reach, and is unrealistic. Thinking of ourselves as holy people is a little intimidating. Holiness is a pretty tall order. When The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 1:15 to “be holy,” it is a goal rather than a destination. It is something to strive for. God knows we can’t be perfect, but His desire for us is to grow to become more like His Son, Jesus, as time passes and as we mature in our faith.

Fortunately, holiness is not just based on our efforts at being good. Holiness is who we are based on our relationship with Jesus Christ. We have been made holy… not because we follow a bunch of rules of things to do and not to do. This amazing work of God does not stop when I accept Jesus as my personal Savior. I’m not left alone to be holy from this point forward. Jesus is working through the Holy Spirit to make me holy. And what God starts, He will finish.“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Philippians 1:6). God is not leading us to an unattainable level of perfection. Our lack of perfection should merely lead us to strive to meet God’s goal for us continually

Of all the goals we have for our life, the most important is to pursue holiness because it is God’s goal for our life. As Oswald Chambers said, “God has only one intended destiny for mankind—holiness. His only goal is to produce saints. God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and He did not come to save us out of pity—He came to save us because He created us to be holy.”

 Discussion Questions:

1. Does living a holy and pure life seem impossible? 
2. What is the most challenging part of living a holy life? 
3. What can we do this week to live a more holy life?