Date: March 10, 2024
The Ministry of Jesus
The Point: Through His miracles and teaching, Jesus pointed us to a relationship with God.
Get Into the Study
Share the following before discussing Question #1 in the Personal Study Guide.
Home renovations are costly ordeals. If you’ve had to budget for a project at your home recently, you know that reality to be painfully true. What would it be like if your renovation estimate on your home was $7 million? That number would send most of us reeling in disbelief. How would you feel if the official quote actually came back at a whopping $12.8 million? Most of us would decide to pack up and move at that cost!
That’s the price tag that came for the Minnesota Governor’s Residence. The state budgeted for the much-needed renovation of the mansion built in 1912. The work necessary to bring the home up to code was much more costly than anyone anticipated.
Wayne Waslaski is the deputy commissioner for the agency that manages the property. When asked the reasoning for the steep price, he stated, “We were hoping some aspects would have additional useful life, but there’s been so much deferred maintenance over the years on this facility it’s in need of wholesale replacement.” The more they evaluated the structure and components of the residence, the more they realized that all of the electrical wiring, mechanical units, and piping components would have to be removed and replaced. To get to those discoveries, they had to do the challenging work of accessing it behind plaster walls.
Often, home projects are more costly and more involved than initially anticipated. You probably have never had to pay for a renovation of this magnitude, but you have experienced a similar situation. When have you seen a simple fix turn into a major project?
Study the Bible
Share this story before discussing Question #4 (Question #5 in the Daily Discipleship Guide).
It was the bump heard ‘round the world.
As the Kansas City Chiefs fell behind in the first half of Super Bowl LVIII, tempers began to rise as the team found themselves in a frustratingly similar position behind the San Francisco 49ers. In the history of the Super Bowl, only seven games have experienced a double-digit comeback, and the Chiefs account for three of those games. But as time began to expire in the first half, the Chiefs had yet to guarantee such a statistic.
Looking for answers, Travis Kelce showed a level of intensity that cameras captured for all the world to evaluate. In his attempt to encourage Coach Andy Reid to utilize his abilities more, Kelce yelled at Reid and bumped into him. The unsuspecting coach was caught off balance but honestly seemed unfazed by the whole situation during or after the game. Apparently, Reid has learned to expect such emotional interactions.
While some see such passion as beneficial to the game, others view the outburst as signs of an uncontrolled person. The question becomes, was the outburst welcomed and warranted? Jesus said, “Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them” (Luke 6:31).
Does this moment display the golden rule?
Prroceed with asking the discussion question.
Travis Agnew is a disciple of Jesus, husband to Amanda, dad to the Agnew 3, and Lead Pastor or Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. He loves writing about faith and family at travisagnew.org.
Study the Bible [Option from the Advanced Bible Study Teacher Guide]
As directed under Optional Idea (p. 16), share this handout about the four loves with those in the group.
Live It Out [Option from Adult Leader Guide]
In advance, enlist a volunteer to lead the group in a worship song related to Jesus’s ministry. Then close in prayer.
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- What are some surprising sources of joy in your life?
- Who are some influencers that impacted you in formative years and why are they significant to you?
- When have you been on the receiving end of someone’s generosity?
- When has a simple fix turned into a major project?
Luke 6:17-19
- When have you seen Jesus bring healing to someone’s life?
- What strikes you as most interesting about this passage? Why?
- How should we view the role of miracles in today’s world?
- What are some specific needs where people need healing in today’s world?
- How have you witnessed Christ’s healing power – physically, spiritually, or emotionally?
- What are some of the ways Jesus offers healing to people today?
- When have you seen Jesus’ healing power in your life, or someone you know?
Luke 6:20-23
- How would you describe being blessed by God?
- What rewards can believers look forward to in heaven?
- How do we rejoice and leap for joy when others are speaking ill of us?
- What does being filled with the things of God look like?
- What are your initial reactions to the rewards listed here?
- How do these verses depict humility and dependence on God?
- What do you find encouraging about Jesus’s teaching in these verses?
Luke 6:27-31
- How would the world respond if we loved others unconditionally?
- What might hinder us from living this out and how can we remove these hinderances?
- What do you find challenging about Jesus calling us to pray for those who persecute us?
- What are some practical examples of living out the golden rule?
- How can we have the capacity to love as Jesus wants us to?
- In what ways do Jesus’ teachings differ from the conventional wisdom of this world?
- Which of these commands of Jesus do you find most challenging?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
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