Jesus Is...Unorthodox

Jesus Is…Unorthodox

-In verse 14, Jesus extends an invitation for Levi to follow Him. When Jesus called the first four disciples He ignored rabbinical protocol by choosing the uneducated guys, but here He breaks rabbinical protocol and Jewish social protocol by calling a guy who was immoral, greedy, and perceived as a traitor. Is Jesus just a bad judge of character or He is sending us a message? No one is too far gone or too socially unacceptable for the Gospel. If He called Levi it isn’t inconceivable to think that He’d call you.

-Verses 15 and 16 teach us what it looks like to be a fisher of men. It isn’t a part-time gig that begins and ends at a certain time or starts and finishes after a certain number of hours. It is who a follower of Jesus is all the time. In these verses Jesus is eating with sinners. His social life was structured such that He was able to be a fisher of men simply because of the company He kept. What might prevent this evangelistic approach from succeeding? Being a pansy that hangs out with lost people but won’t talk about Jesus! Don’t think that because you know some lost people and occasionally eat dinner with them that you’ve accomplished something. No one is getting converted because you boldly proclaimed your favorite sports stats. You’ve got to tell people about Jesus.

-In verse 16 Jesus hears the Pharisees ask His disciples why He is hanging out with sinners. What do you make of Jesus’ answer in verse 17?

-Does Jesus’ response mean that the Pharisees are righteous and He didn’t come for them? If not, what does it mean? The phrase “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick,” was a well known proverb that the Pharisees would have been familiar with and considered valid. Jesus adds “I came not to call the righteous but sinners,” employing the term “righteous” as an ironic reference to those who viewed themselves as righteous. Pharisees thought they were pleasing God by their adherence to the Law, not realizing that the “sinner” (i.e. the one who acknowledges his fallen state and inability to keep the law) is more pleasing to God than the legalist who has trick himself into thinking he’s met God’s standard.

It’s thinking cap time!

-Do Jesus’ actions in this text communicate that we should spend time with people who have no relationship with Jesus?

-Do Jesus’ actions in this text communicate that we should not spend time with people who do know Jesus?

-Which group of people should you spend the majority of your time with, Christians or Non-Christians?

Jesus spent large portions of time with His followers and large portions of time calling people who didn’t know Him. This is both and. We need Christian community that edifies us and moves us forward in our relationship with Jesus. The effect of your relationship with Jesus will be a desire to see more people come to know Him. Ultimately, your embrace of the gospel is evidenced by your extension of it.  

Jesus Is... Sept 23 - Sept 29

 

Video question-It is interesting that in the age of mega churches and attractional ministry that sometimes hides from the Bible and bold truth we look back at Jesus ministry and realize that He didn’t need to read a book on cultural relevance to have a booming ministry. He taught the Word! What implication does this have on the way we should do ministry and engage our friends with the Gospel?

-In that same vein of thinking what do you think the source of Jesus ministry success and popularity was? God’s power and the Word. The same two things we need for successful ministry today…God’s power in the Church and proclamation of and submission to the Word.

Read Mark 2:1-10

-The paralytic had some pretty legit friends. When was the last time you were relentless in your effort to get someone to Jesus?

-Considering Jesus isn’t on earth tangibly teaching in people’s homes, what might it look like for you to relentlessly pursue getting someone to Jesus?

-It was inconvenient for the paralytic’s friends to get him to Jesus. Do you care enough about people to be inconvenienced for the sake of their salvation and God’s glory? The answer to this question may very well be discouraging and reveal your sin. Praise God for the opportunity to repent and begin asking God to change your heart that it may no longer beat for trivial things.

-Jesus perceived the four men’s actions as a display of their faith in His ability to heal their friend. They never had to verbally assert their faith because their actions had already made that proclamation for them. How does this shape your thinking about faith? Is faith something that you simply claim to have verbally or is it something you display through your actions? What are some practical ways we show or fail to show faith in Jesus?

-Why did Jesus say “Son, your sins are forgiven?” instead of just saying, “Get up and walk?” Jesus' healing heals the whole person! Jesus is acknowledging the Hebrew understanding that death and disease are the effects of sin and healing is predicated on God’s forgiveness. So Jesus is here dealing with both the cause and effect of this man’s problem.

-As humans we put a lot of stock in tangibles. We want to see the physical healings, the water into wine stuff…but Jesus focuses first and most importantly on healing this man’s heart issue. As hard a question as this may be…are you satisfied with what Jesus has already done for you on the cross to provide you access to the Father or do you find yourself expecting, wishing, and hoping that He will do something more…tangible?

Announcements:

Coats for Kids…Now!

The Big Serve...October 6-13 (www.thebigserve.net)

Drive for Freedom…October 20 (www.driveforfreedom.com)

Baptism Celebration…October 28

Jesus Is... Sept 16 - Sept 22

Jesus Is…Legit

Go ahead and tell your group to strain all of their responses to the first three questions through the colander of Jesus’ authority.

-Why is it significant that Jesus was teaching in the synagogue?  Was everyone allowed to do that?

Teaching in the synagogue was by invite only, so the ruler of the synagogue apparently regarded Jesus as a respected and authoritative figure, otherwise he wouldn’t have invited Jesus to teach.

-Why might Jesus have been viewed as authoritative before He had even taught in the synagogue?

This suggests that Jesus was already respected and reveals that His interaction with people in the community and His knowledge of God was preceded Him. It also shows that John the Baptist was successful in setting the stage for Jesus ministry.

Power statement:

Verse 22 says “And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority…” On Sundays, Pastor Nathan preaches using the Bible which is authoritative. Never once has he stood on stage and said “do this because I say,” he says “do this because the word of God says.” The people were so astounded by the way Jesus taught because He taught from His own authority and knowledge because He is the Word of God. Jesus wasn’t dependent on truth revealed in the yet to be written New Testament in order write a good sermon. He is the source material for a good sermon!

-Read verse 23 & 24. Unclean spirit is singular, denoting one demon, but when the demon speaks it says, “Have you come to destroy us?” What might that mean?

In this dialogue the demon affirms Jesus dominion and authority over all demonic power! When the demon said have you come to destroy us it didn’t mean there was more than one demon in the man, it meant that the demon feared that Jesus would eradicate all demonic power. The demon feared Jesus’ authority. Jesus proves power and authority over evil spirits which also confirms His message from verse 15, the Kingdom of God is near, i.e. “I’m the agent of God’s rule.”

- After the scene in the synagogue Jesus had arrived; this dude was recognized as legit and could have successfully assimilated into the upper rungs of society, but instead He leaves and goes to hang out with His fishermen. What does this say about Jesus?

-Read verse 35. This is a descriptive verse, but a valuable assertion proceeds from it. That being that communion with the Father is better, more important, and more satisfying than sleep, so sacrifice your sleep for something better! “I don’t have time,” is a lie, “you don’t have motivation,” is unfortunately true. Does the effort you put into your relationship with God look like you believe He is better than sleeping?

- Before Jesus begins interacting with people or doing ministry He is found alone with God… Is it significant that Jesus starts His day communing with the Father? How so?

Jesus’ consistent pursuit of intimacy with God early, before the day starts and before He begins ministry, reveals that He works from His intimacy with God! It is consistent communion with the Father, the blessing and treasure of the Gospel, that produces a gratefulness for that Gospel and so spurs us on to be fishers of men, that they too may taste and see the goodness and glory of the Father! Where intimacy is lacking genuine ministry is not found.

-What does verse 40 tell us about Jesus?

                  He doesn’t lord His authority and power over people He uses it to benefit them. He has compassion. This is excellent news!

-Why did He heal people?

                  He can! He is compassionate! His deeds authenticate His message!

-What role did the leper’s faith play in his healing?

-When you share the gospel are you confident that your deeds actually help add credibility to what you’re preaching?

Bottom Line:

-Jesus has all authority!

-Jesus didn’t just claim authority; His deeds command belief in His authority!

-Jesus' compassionate use of His authority is great news for you and I!

Close your time grateful that Jesus is both compassionate and authoritative! One without the other is a scary thing!

Jesus Is... Sept 9 - Sept 15

Video Kick Start Question (Note that this question has no definitive biblical answer and is simply designed to generate conversation; if the question fails to accomplish this simply move on):

When they were initially called, Simon, Andrew, James, and John didn’t fully understand who Jesus was, what He was calling them to, or the end goal, but still they dropped their nets, left their livelihood behind and followed. We have the Bible which reveals to us fully who Jesus is, what He is calling us to, and what the end result entails. Why is it that despite all of this revelation many of us still fail to follow?

-Read our text for this week out loud- Mark 1:1-20

Why does Jesus go find His own disciples instead of waiting at the temple for pupils to volunteer their devotion as was the custom? Urgency- the importance of the message drove Him to action. He also had a limited amount of time.

Why did Jesus choose the fishermen? The other rabbis only accepted disciples from among the intellectual community. It is obvious that the disciples Jesus calls in this text were the 1^st century equivalent of college drop outs, they failed to advance to the next academic level that’s why they were working as fishermen.

In verses 14-20 Jesus models three things very clearly: There is a clear message (v:15), that message is to be proclaimed (v:15), and Jesus appoints and empowers the messengers (v:17).

-What is the meaning of the message Jesus is proclaiming in verse 15?

-What does it mean to be a fisher of men?

-Does your understanding of the content of Jesus message intensify the importance of becoming a fisher of men?

 -Do you feel like your church, rGroup and service involvement is developing you in a fisher of men? If not, what do you think would help equip you? Document responses to this question and send them to Paul.

-Do you make excuses about your inability to present the Gospel well or your lack of knowledge regarding Scripture, hiding behind these reasons as an acceptable pardon from Jesus’ call to be fishers of men? Your presentation of the Gospel and your knowledge of Scripture are reflective of your relationship with Jesus…ouchies!

Bottom line:

1)     Jesus offers us reconciliation to God as prophesied in the O.T. that is an important and urgent message!

2)     Jesus can use the most unequipped nobodies to accomplish His mission.

3)     If your life feels mundane and routine you aren’t a fisher of men! Jesus calling is extreme, see how boring things are when you walk up to the barista at Krankies and say, “you know Jesus?”

Announcements: 
-Coats for Kids begins this Sunday September 16th! Our goal is 200 coats.
-Drive for Freedom Oct. 20th (http://www.driveforfreedom.com/)
-Baptism Oct. 28th