Matthew 13:31-33

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Matthew 13:31-33

The Growth of the Kingdom

October 27, 2024 • Kevin Maloney • Matthew 13:31–35

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Sermon Discussion Questions:

1) Expectations vs. Reality: The people of Jesus' time anticipated a dramatic, immediate arrival of God's kingdom. In what ways do we sometimes expect God to work dramatically in our lives? How does this influence our faith when we don’t see immediate change?

2) Understanding God’s Kingdom: The mustard seed and leaven grow slowly and almost imperceptibly at first. How does this picture of slow growth challenge our understanding of God’s work in the world and in our lives?

3) Personal Growth: Jesus’ parable suggests that growth in God’s kingdom—and within ourselves—may not be instant. Where have you seen small, gradual changes in your life or faith that later resulted in big growth?

4) Living in the “Already, Not Yet”: Jesus says the kingdom is already here but not yet fully realized. How does this affect our hope and patience as we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” both in the world and in our hearts?

5) Patience in Ordinary Faithfulness: In a fast-paced world, we often look for quick solutions to spiritual growth. How can we learn to embrace the "ordinary means of grace" (e.g., Scripture, prayer, worship) as essential to our growth in Christ?

Matthew 14:1-21

November 24, 2024 • Matt Ouellette

Sermon Discussion Questions 1. How is it that a feast can represent a kingdom? 2. What differences do you notice between the two feasts and two kingdoms? 3. In what desolate places have you experienced God’s provision? 4. To whom do you believe God is sending His provision through your hands?

Matthew 13:53-58

November 17, 2024 • Kevin Maloney • Matthew 13:51–58, Matthew 14:12

Sermon Discussion Questions: 1)Why do you think the people in Jesus’ hometown struggled to accept Him, despite witnessing His wisdom and miracles? 2) What role does routine or custom or habit play in your own spiritual life? How can it shape or hinder your relationship with Christ? 3) In what ways might we, like the people in Nazareth, be in danger of “missing” Jesus despite being around church or hearing His teachings regularly? 4) How does the cross, as described by Paul in 1 Corinthians, challenge human wisdom and expectations? 5) What are the dangers of trying to “repackage” the Gospel to make it more palatable to contemporary culture?

Matthew 13:47-52

November 10, 2024 • Kevin Maloney

Sermon Discussion Questions: 1) In the parable of the net, what does Jesus reveal about the reality of judgment? How does this impact how we view eternity? 2) Do we tend to embrace both the doctrine of God’s love and the doctrine of his justice? 3) How does the reality of judgment influence our understanding of sin and our need for Jesus as our substitute? 4) How can a clear understanding of God’s judgment and mercy shape our urgency to share the gospel with others? 5) What are our circles of influence, and how do we share the gospel there? 6) Who might you begin praying for in the hopes that you will be able to share the gospel with him or her?