In the Workshop--Lesson 11--Living a Simple Life--Matthew 6:25-34 + Various Passages

Discussion Questions:

1.  How would you define living a simple life?  What struggles do you have with keeping your schedule and your appetites simple?

2.  Why does it matter that Jesus’ teachings are statements of design for the universe instead of command language?  In what way is simplicity a truth that sets you free?

3.  What does it mean to leave margin in your life?  What are some practical ways you can create and/or maintain margin in your schedule?

4.  Do you agree with Paul’s list of what we need to be content (I Timothy 6:6-8)?   Where does contentment come from?  What is the difference between contentment and happiness? 

5.  How do possessions affect one’s time and focus?  Why should we consider the amount of time a possession requires before acquiring it?

6.  In what ways do you see people trade time for money?  Why is this a bad trade?  What kinds of things tempt you to gain the world at the cost of your soul?

7.  How is duplicity related to simplicity?  In what ways are the things Satan tells us duplicity?  How are Jesus’ sayings simplicity instead of duplicity? 

8.  Why is burnout so prevalent in our culture?  What are some ways you have experienced burnout?  How did you overcome it?

Easter Sermon--I Am Before You, After You, and Right With You--Psalm 139 + Various Passages

Discussion Questions:

1.  What kind of baggage came with Adam & Eve’s rebellion against God?  How have you seen his efforts at divide and conquer and breaking up community succeed?

2.  How have you seen God go before you into the dark areas of your life and come behind you to be your rear guard? 

3.  Why does the immediacy of a problem or crisis tend to take our focus off the bigger picture of God’s provision and care for us? 

4.  What should our response be when Jesus allows things to happen (like the death of Lazarus) that are painful or discouraging?  How is Him being the resurrection and the life a helpful thing to recall when we are feeling overwhelmed by crises?

5.  How do you determine the truth of the situations you encounter?  How are things not truth until Jesus speaks into the midst of them?

6.  How have you seen God surround you?  In what ways has He gone before you, come after you, and walked beside you?

7.  If God is not surprised by things and we walk in step with Him, why do we get surprised by things?  Why are things that are darkness not dark to God?  How can we use that knowledge to bring blessings and peace to our own lives? 

8.  What pain and/or confusion do you think the two men on the road to Emmaus experienced?  What types of situations in your life have brought the same type of pain and confusion?  How did Jesus come alongside you and guide you to know the truth of the situation?

In the Workshop--Lesson 10--A Generous Use of Money--Matthew 14:13-21 + Various Passages

Discussion Questions:

1.  How would you define generosity?  What kinds of things draw you to be generous with your time and money and other resources? 

2.  If required giving is an oxymoron, why would God require giving in the OT?  In what way does following Jesus require us to give?

3.  How is generosity tied to worship?  Is it possible to be generous with wrong motives?  How does remembering generosity is a form of worship help me maintain right motives?

4.  How does receiving generosity make you want to worship?  How does being generous make you want to worship?  In what ways is it more blessed to give than to receive?

5.  What kinds of things make you feel like you live in a world of scarcity instead of abundance?  What things help you to be more intentional and regular about seeing beyond the scarcity of this world to the incredible riches and blessings of the LORD?

6.  Tell of a time you had to trust in the generosity of the LORD (or of a person the LORD used) to take care of your needs.  Why is it difficult for us to accept the generosity of others?

7.  What, in your view, made Zacchaeus become so generous?  Why did he go so far beyond what the Law required of him in restitution and providing for the poor?  Why is it important that Jesus referred to Zacchaeus as “a son of Abraham”?

8.  Why do you suppose Jesus does miracles of miraculous feedings twice?  What is the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees that Jesus tells them to be on guard against?  How does understanding God’s abundance vs. feelings of scarcity tie into this?

9.  How is generosity not about the size of the gift?  The different stories used throughout the sermon (Boy has head shaved; Dad takes care of homeless; husband washes windows) were examples of how people can be generous even if they don’t have much.  What ideas do you have for this type of generosity?