▶︎ Pentecost (Acts 2) - John Merchant (GBC English 10:30AM)

Discussion starters

1. Read Acts 1:1-8. Why does Jesus say the Spirit is needed by the church, and how does this and what he says in verse 8 answer the question the disciples ask in verse 6?

2. Read Acts 2:1-12. How would you answer the question of the crowd in verse 12: What does this miracle mean?

3. All of those gathered would have been able to speak with one another in Greek (as Peter no doubt did when he started speaking from verse 14), so what difference does it make to them (and others today) to hear the message of what God has done in Jesus in their own first language (verse 11)?

4. Read Acts 2:41-47.  Consider who these 3000+ people were, and how they now started to behave, demonstrating God’s kingdom present in the lifestyle of the new community.  What is Luke saying to us about our church life together?  What can you do to be a part of building this type of community now?

5. How would you define racism, and what examples of it have you seen or experienced?

6. Why do you think racial and cultural differences cause hostility between people?

7. How can we deal with these issues in a helpful way, and become the community God pictures for us at Pentecost? 

Additional study:

If you want some background on how the ‘festival of weeks’ (Pentecost) developed from an agricultural celebration when people congregated to give offerings to God in trust and thanks, to depicting hope for the ingathering of a broken nation and world, look at Leviticus 23, then Amos 8 & 9 and Joel 1 & 2.  Now consider how Jesus’ words in Acts 1 and Peter’s speech in Acts 2 develop these themes, and why this day was the appropriate day to give the Holy Spirit to the whole church community. 

▶︎ Kingdom Come (Luke 17:20-21) - Q&A Panel Discussion (GBC English 10:30AM)

Discussion starters

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1. Read Luke 17:20-21. Vanessa suggested three main ways the end of verse 21 is understood:
   ‘The kingdom of God is within you’
   ‘The kingdom of God is within your reach’
   ‘The kingdom of God is in your midst / among you’

   Which of these readings makes most sense to you?

2. How do you understand the kingdom of God to be in our midst today?

3. What parable has stood out to you in this series? Is there someone in particular that God has highlighted to you through it, or something it has caused you to wrestle with?

4. Many of the parables seem to involve fear. How do you understand the place and role of fear in the parables?

5. How have you been challenged to grow in your understanding of and/or approach to life in God’s kingdom through this series?

▶︎ Kingdom Stewardship (Luke 19:11-27) - Steve Bernard (GBC English 10:30AM)

Discussion starters

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1. Read Luke 19:11-27. What questions does this parable raise for you?

2. Steve told the historical account of Herod Archelaus which closely relates to Jesus’ telling of this story. How does this impact your understanding of what Jesus is doing in telling this story? (e.g. Why does he tell this story ‘because he was close to Jerusalem’, and how does this illustrate that the kingdom would not appear immediately?)

3. Read Luke 8:16-18 (cf. Matt 13:10-16 for a longer explanation). How might what Jesus says regarding the Parable of the Sower (esp. v18) inform what he says in Luke 19:26: “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away”?

4. Reflecting on the spectrum of responses by the servants in vv16-21 (we hear from 3 or the 10), do you identify with any of these responses regarding what God has shown to you?

5. If Jesus is contrasting the Roman approach to leadership with the approach of his own kingdom, what is your response to who Jesus is as king?

▶︎ Kingdom Honour (Luke 14:1-11) - Steve Bernard (GBC English 10:30AM)

Kingdom Honour – Luke 14:1-11 – Discussion Starters

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Read Luke 14:1-11

1. V1 tells us that this occurs at a Sabbath meal at one of the Pharisee’s houses:

   a. How does Jesus demonstrate what Sabbath is about?

   b. How do the Pharisee miss what Sabbath is about?

2. What do you think Jesus is trying to communicate in telling the parable in v8-11?

3. Dallas Willard (in his book Hearing God) says, "In general, knowledge tends to be destructive when held by anything less than a mature character thoroughly permeated by love and humility. That is true even in the secular areas of life. Few things are more terrifying in the spiritual arena than those who absolutely know but who are also unloving, hostile, proud, superstitious and fearful."

   a. Steve said that the Pharisees' certainty of what God says is right and wrong (regarding Sabbath) becomes destructive to their alignment with what God desires. Can you think of any areas in which we may be in danger of the same thing?

   b. What might it look like to cultivate ‘a mature character thoroughly permeated by love and humility’? (see also Luke 14:11, 1 Peter 5:5-7)

▶︎ Kingdom Sinners (Luke 18:10-14) - Otto Zhang (GBC English 10:30AM)

Discussion Starters

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1. Parable: Read Luke 18:10-14. Why does God look favourably upon the tax collector and not the Pharisee? What exactly did the Pharisee get wrong? 

2. Performance: What’s your relationship to performance? How would you feel if you suddenly stopped performing? (At work/school, in your family, social circles, church, etc.) 

3. Comparison:

   a) Who do you tend to judge and compare yourself to?

   b) With curiosity, why do you think you react this way to those kinds of people?  

4. Self-Worth:

   a) What are the kinds of things you do to uphold your sense of worth and value?

   b) How do you feel about being vulnerable with who you really are?

   c) Who can you be honest to?

▶︎ Kingdom Confidence (Luke 18:2-8) - Miso Kim (GBC English 10:30AM)

▶︎ Kingdom Riches (Luke 16:1-14) - Steve Bernard (GBC English 10:30AM)

Kingdom Riches – Life Group discussion starters

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1. Read Luke 16:1-14. What is the surprise inversion of this parable?

2. Steve spoke about shrewdness being understood as ‘prudence’: “From the past, the present acts prudently, lest it spoils future action” (Titian). Why might the rich man commend the manager’s prudence?

3. What does the dishonest manager’s action, and the rich man’s commendation suggest they both value? (Jesus may be using the Pharisees as a negative example of this given Luke’s comment about them in verse 14.)

4. The main theme of the parable and Jesus’ teaching immediately following is about a person’s trustworthiness. Then in v13, personifying money as a god (Mammon), he turns to what a person trusts. What do you understand to be the link between what you trust (v13), and your development to be a person who can be trusted (v1-12)?

5. What practices help you train yourself in trustworthiness?

▶︎ Kingdom Invitation (Luke 16:19-31) - Steve Bernard (GBC English 10:30AM Easter Sunday)

▶︎ Kingdom Authority (Luke 20:9-19) - Steve Bernard (GBC English Good Friday 9:00AM)

▶︎ Kingdom Enactment (Luke 19:28-40) - Steve Bernard (GBC English 10:30AM)

Group Discussion Starters

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1. Read Luke 19:28-40. What is the significance of Jesus performing this act:

   a. as he enters Jerusalem in the way that he does? 

   b. at the time of Passover? (Think about what is celebrated at Passover)

2. Read Zechariah 9:9-10.

   a. Do you understand Jesus’ fulfilment of this passage as intentional or accidental? What difference does this make if it intentional or accidental?

   b. v10 speaks of this king bringing peace. What might we learn from Jesus’ approach to bringing peace?

3. What does Jesus’ action in this story leave us needing to decide?

▶︎ Kingdom Celebration (Luke 15:11-32) - Cliff Hughes (GBC English 10:30AM)

▶︎ Kingdom Banquet (Luke 14:16-23) - John Merchant (GBC English 10:30AM)

Life Group Questions

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Read Luke 14:16-24. 

1. How would you summarise what Jesus is teaching here?

2. In the story, who gets included and who misses out on the banquet, and why?

Now read Luke 14:12-15.

3. How should this shape our understanding of the parable, and why the kingdom of God is like a banquet?

4. Who are the ‘poor’ in our community; how might we invite them in as valued members in our celebration; and what lame excuses might stop us?

5. Can you share any examples where you/we did give uncalculated welcome and experienced joy? (i.e. tell some tales of joyful reward!)

▶︎ Kingdom Homemaking - Luke 13:10-21 - John Merchant (GBC English 10:30AM)

Kingdom Homemaking – Life Group questions

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Read Luke 13:18-21. 

1. Why do you think Jesus describes the presence of God’s kingdom now like a mustard seed and leaven? Be as specific as possible.

2. How does this understanding help you live in his kingdom now?

Read Luke 13:10-17.

3. How do you explain the reaction of the ruler of the synagogue? What makes him so angry?

4. When are we like that, and what might be a better response?

Watch the video: How to Read the Parables of Jesus | The Bible Project

3. What stands out to you? 

4. Does it differ in approach to how you might have read the parables previously? 

5. If God’s kingdom is present now as leaven and a mustard seed, then what is involved for us in living for that kingdom, seeking it first in all we do? What particular things might you do, and what would help you do this well?

6. Read Galatians 6:9-10 and use it as a prompt for prayer for others in your group in their present circumstances.

▶︎ Kingdom Manure - Luke 13:1-9 - John Merchant (GBC English 10:30AM)

Life Group Questions

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Kingdom Manure – Life Group questions

Read Luke 13:1-5.

1. How does what Jesus teaches here inform our understanding of disasters?

2. How should this shape our response to ourselves and others in such times? 

3. Why do you think Jesus asks his listeners to make the shift from wondering about others to urgently warning them to be responsible for themselves for their standing in the kingdom of God?

Read Luke 13:6-9.

4. How would you summarize Jesus’ intention in telling this story?

5. Why do you think he pictures it in this strange way, and what does this suggest to you about our experience of the kingdom of God in our midst?

6. What can make it hard to get in step with what God wants (i.e. to repent)?

7. Read this quote by Richard Rohr, Simplicity, and then use it as a springboard to inform your prayer together: 

‘We don’t think our way into a new life; we live our way into a new kind of thinking. The Gospel is before all else a call to live differently, so that life can be shared with others. In other words, the Gospel is ultimately calling us to a stance of simplicity, vulnerability, dialogue, powerlessness, and humility. These are the only virtues that make communion and community and intimacy possible.’ 

Tasks for this week (you may wish to do one of these exercises together as a group if time permits).

1. Consider what fruit God wants to see in us as a result of receiving his manure. Think about a particular aspect of living as kingdom people, and then workshop it using the ‘SAID’ process (which is a mnemonic combining the first letters of each stage of the process):

(1) Situation. Reflect on the actual experience:

• What images/scenes do you recall?

• Which people/comments/words struck you?

• What sounds/smells/tactile sensations do you recall?

• Were there any other elements?

(2) Affective domain. Reflect on the feelings and emotions experienced:

• What was the high spot/low spot?

• What was your mood/feeling?

• Were you surprised/angered/elated/curious/confused/depressed by anything in the experience?

(3) Interpretation of events. What did you learn?:

• What can you conclude from this experience?

• What was your key insight/learning ?

• How does this relate to appropriate theories and concepts ?

(4) Decision. What will you do as a result?:

• What do you need to do before this sort of thing happens again?

• What should you do differently next time?

• What would you say to people who were not there?

• What was the significance of this experience to your life?

This process involves an upward spiral of learning and is the basis of “action research”.

2. As you seek to be a disciple of Jesus living for his kingdom, use Kolb’s Experiential learning model, and then report back to your group next time you meet on your experience of this way of changing.

Kolb, D., Experiential Learning as a Source of Learning and Development, Prentice-Hall, 1984.