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? So What Are You Going To Do?

May 26, 2024 • Garry Firth • Matthew 7:24–27, John 16:33

Here are some questions to help you process this message and apply it to your life: 1. What is the most memorable speech you have ever heard? What made it so memorable? 2. Open your Bible or Bible app to Matthew chapters 5-7 and read some of the paragraph headings. What are some things that Jesus taught that apply to your life now? How do these closing verses connect to the previous teachings in chapters 5-7? 3. What does it mean to "build your house on the rock" in your own life? What are some ways that you can apply this principle in practical, everyday terms? 4. Read Matthew 7:24-28. What stood out for you and why? 5. Jesus says we are wise if we put into practice the things he taught. Why do we often choose not to?

Say What? Won't Get Fooled Again

May 19, 2024 • Russ Smith • Galatians 5:22–23, James 2:14–17, John 10:9, Matthew 7:13–23

Here are some questions to help you process this message and apply it to your life: 1. That old saying goes: Fool me once - shame on you. Fool me twice - shame on me. (or according to George W. Bush: can’t get fooled again) Are you fooling yourself about anything in your life these days? What is it? 2. Check out again the spiritual fruit mentioned in the message that’s found in Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT): But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 3. In the message, Russ said: “Legitimate spiritual fruit comes from following Jesus. So if you’re a Jesus-follower and there’s no sign of fruit in your life, you might want to ask God why that is. Otherwise, you might just be fooling yourself.” So if you’re a Jesus-follower: Got any fruit? How’s your fruit? 4. Matthew 7:21-23 has some troubling words from Jesus: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” What do you think about that? 5. There’s that scene from the movie Prince Caspian where Caspian says he doesn’t think he’s ready to be a king and then Aslan responds “It’s for that very reason, I know you are.” How do you think that’s similar to our relationship with Jesus?

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?