SERIES: Great Moments and Truths from Jesus

Prayerful Worship Must Be Restored November 25-26th, 2017 SERIES: Great Moments and Truths from Jesus

SPEAKER: John Williamson (Timberlake/Downtown), Stephen Rabon (Altavista) STUDY GUIDE: Glen Robinson

CONNECT (5-10 min) Leaders Note: The purpose of this time is to help the members of the group grow in relationships with one another so all people in the group know they matter. Spend some time discovering what is happening in the lives of your group members.

GROW – Review the Message Summary (30-45 min) Leaders Note: The goal of this section is to apply the truth of the message (not teach) so each participant is familiar with the message from Sunday morning. Good facilitators “share the leadership”. If your group has been meeting at least 8-12 weeks you should have an “apprentice”. This would be a good section for your apprentice to facilitate.

Read: Luke 20:1-8 (ESV)

[1] One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up [2] and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” [3] He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, [4] was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” [5] And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ [6] But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” [7] So they answered that they did not know where it came from. [8] And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Notes… Jesus’ authority is questioned (20:1-8)  The religious leaders ask a question about Jesus’ AUTHORITY (v.2)  Jesus’ answer is a question that reveals His own IDENTITY and AUTHORITY (vs.3-4)  Jesus’ question presents the religious leaders with a DILEMMA (vv.5-6)  Their response is a LAME DEFENSE (vv.7-8)

Bottom Line: You can’t avoid the question of Jesus’ authority!

For those not yet living a Jesus-centered life

1. Write down the CONSEQUENCES that PREVENT you from declaring the truth about Jesus.

For those living a Jesus-centered life 2. Confess the places where you PRIDEFULLY resist the authority of Jesus. 3. Write down your QUESTIONS about Jesus’ authority and BRING them to your smaller community. 4. Invite people to live under the AUTHORITY of Jesus. Discussion Questions 1. What stood out to you the most from this week’s sermon? Why do you think that is? 2. The nature of Jesus’ Lordship threatens false authorities that set themselves up against His true authority. Is there anything in your life that Jesus’ Lordship (authority) threatens? 3. Read James 5:16. Think about the areas where you are pridefully resisting the authority of Jesus and talk about them as a group. How are you being self-sufficient rather than depending upon God and others? What are you anxious about and not trusting God for? How are you overly concerned about what others think of you? How are you fearing man more than God? How are you thinking more highly of yourself than you ought in relation to others? How are you being insensitive to the needs of others? What things do you have a hard time admitting you’re in the wrong? Who have you been resentful to? When are you easily angered? How can you be critical of others? What areas of your life do you resist accountability? 4. Discuss as a group the questions you wrote down about Jesus’ authority? (see application #3) 5. How is the Spirit inviting you to intentionally live under the authority of Jesus this week?

Throughout The Week: (Optional)

This week, dive deeper into the Scriptures concerning pride and humility.

PRIDE: Proverbs 8:13, 11:2, 16:5,18 God hates pride. We must learn to hate what God hates and to love what God loves. How much do you hate pride? Ask the Lord to give you a holy hatred for pride and its fruits in your life.

James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Luke 14:11 God opposes the proud. Think for a moment what it might be like to have God as your opponent. In a posture of humility, get on your knees and humble yourself before the Lord. Ask the Lord to help you to be an opponent toward your own pride, just as He is.

HUMILITY: Proverbs 11:2, 15:33, 18:12, 29:23; Isaiah 23:9, 57:15; 1 Peter 5:16; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10  Ask God to illuminate your heart so you can begin to see the fruits of pride in your life. Ask friends to point out the fruits of pride in your life realizing your heart is exceedingly deceitful.  You must meet the qualifications if you are to go on in God. Humility is the attitude upon which everything else is built.  Confess your pride to God and ask for his forgiveness. Just as importantly, ask him to cleanse you of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  Don't ask God to humble you -- the Scriptures say to humble yourself (1 Peter 5:6). Humility isn't an emotion; it's a decision of the will to think and act differently. Vine's Expository Dictionary defines humble as "low lying." Ask yourself how you could be low lying or put others before yourself in various situations, and then do it. Respond to opportunities God gives you to humble yourself or honor others.  Confess your sins of pride to those you have affected and to your friends. They can help to hold you accountable and bring the on-going correction you will need. Be open, honest and transparent about your life and sins.  Ask God to give you a holy hatred for pride and its fruits in your life. Be continually on the alert. Don’t allow pride to grow in your heart. Sow to the Spirit, not to the flesh.  Remember your war against pride is life-long. It is not a battle won in a day. Yet, as you faithfully put to death, pride, and put on, humility, you will experience greater freedom and more importantly greater conformity to image and likeness of Christ. In so doing, God will be glorified in your life!

Source: Robbie Symons. “The Fruits of Pride.” www.harvestoakville.ca