Say What? Lingering Desire

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Say What? Lingering Desire

February 25, 2024 • Garry Firth • Matthew 5:27–30, Genesis 3:6

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Here are some questions to help you process this message and apply it to your life:

1. How did you deal with anger this past week? Did you Stay, Pray or Go Away - not necessarily in that order?

2. What was it that first attracted you to your significant other (if applicable) or to your ‘first love’ in grade school?

3. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28) Jesus raised the bar and widened the circle. He raised it by redefining adultery and widened the circle to include everyone. What do you think about that? Why do you think he did that?

4. What are some examples of hyperbole that we use today? (My feet are killing me. I’ve told you 20,000 times. etc.)

If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30)

Jesus is using hyperbole - an exaggerated statement or claim NOT to be taken literally but used to emphasize an important point. What point was Jesus trying to emphasize in these verses?

5. The temptation to lust (have a very strong sexual desire for someone we shouldn’t) is all around us. (TV shows, movies, advertising, books, magazines, web sites, etc.) We heard that one way to keep from lusting is to bounce our eyes - to look but then to look away quickly. What are some other ways or other things we can do to help us from lusting and ultimately committing adultery in our hearts?

6. What else stood out to you in this message?

Take some time this week to ask yourself what you might need to “cut away” to help you avoid the temptation of lust.

Say What? Ask, Seek, Knock

May 12, 2024 • Peter Bird • Matthew 7:7–11, Luke 18:42

Here are some questions to help you process this message and apply it to your life: 1. What are your first thoughts about prayer? Read Matthew 7:7-11. 2. What are your first impressions of Jesus' words in these verses? 3. How do you make sense of unanswered prayer? How has it or does it affect your trust in God? 4. What has your experience been with prayer? Do you find it easy or difficult? Why? 5. What do you think it means that “prayer is not a task of expediency, but a practice of intimacy”? How does this idea change the way you pray?

Say What? Here Comes the Judge

May 5, 2024 • Garry Firth • Luke 18:10–12, Matthew 7:1–6

Here are some questions to help you process this message and apply it to your life: 1. Would you consider yourself a judgmental person? 2. Share a time when you judged someone prematurely. What did you learn from that experience? 3. Read Luke 18:9-14. How do you relate to the two men in this story? We heard how we all judge people, oftentimes without even being aware of it. Are you tempted to say, “At least I’m not like that Pharisee?” 4. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2) How would you summarise the meaning of "Do not judge, or you too will be judged"? What might be some misconceptions about this verse, and how would you address them? 5. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5) What is the plank or log in your own eye that gets in the way of loving others the way Jesus asks us to? How can we overcome the tendency to judge others while neglecting our own faults? 6. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6) How do you interpret the symbolism of dogs and pigs in this verse? How might this verse inform our approach to sharing our faith or discussing spiritual matters with others? What steps will you take to help you be a better judge?

Say What? Don't Worry 'Bout It

April 28, 2024 • Garry Firth • Matthew 6:25–33

Here are some questions to help you process this message and apply it to your life: 1. We heard how worrying begins with having a ‘bad feeling that something might or could happen.’ What are some things you tend to worry about? 2. Jesus said that by worrying no one can add a single hour to their life. If that’s true, why do you think we tend to worry? 2. We heard about God’s providence and how he will provide us with what we really need (which may or may not be what we think we need.) When we don’t get what we think we need, we can become discouraged and confused. But then after time passes and we look back, we can see how God provided for us by not giving us what we thought we needed. Share a time from your life like this. 3. What are some reasons you believe in the existence of God? How has believing in God helped you make sense of suffering in your life and the sometimes seemingly randomness of life? 4. Matthew begins and ends his story of Jesus by showing how Jesus is always with us. In what ways can that help you deal with worry? 5. Jesus said, “But seek first his (God’s) kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) Garry described how he still struggles with worry every now and then and how he’s working on shortening the time between him dealing with worry on his own and going to God for help. How quickly do you tend to go to God when you are worried about something? What would help you shorten that time? 6. So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31-34) Share with your connection group or a friend whatever current worry you have and pray about it together.