Branching In
Discussion Questions
In the ancient world being a “disciple” meant far more than following the teaching of a Rabbi or Master, it meant adopting their lifestyle. What insight does this give us into what it means to be Jesus’ disciple?
Read John 15:1 and 2. Jesus said that fruit-bearing branches would be pruned. Pruning is uncomfortable. Why would God make us uncomfortable? How could this be a benefit to us?
In what areas of your life is God making you uncomfortable right now?
Where are some places that you “abide” on a regular basis? Why do you abide there?
What are some ways that you abide in Jesus? What is one practice you could adopt to help you abide more deeply?
Expect the Unexpected
Because of Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness to God throughout the Old Testament, we might expect to find a revenge story revealing God’s anger and punishment. Instead, in the book of Ruth, we find a story of God’s unfailing love. As we’ll discover, understanding why...
We Love Others
Loving God completely influences us to love other people. Loving other people sounds like a good idea but can become difficult and complicated. What does it look like when we love other people extravagantly? Read Matthew 22:37-40. How would loving God completely...
We Love Each Other
When we love each other, life certainly changes for the better. But, loving people and receiving love from others can be complicated and risky. This essential quality is what Jesus identified as a distinguishing marker of our identity in him. What would LifePoint...
We Love God
Jesus calls us to be a unique people in his church. When our character is shaped by God’s love for us, our lives will become shaped by our love for God and for others. We take our first step to discovering how “We” is greater than “Me” by loving God. What does it look...
Small Beginnings
All of our new beginnings grow from a previous ending. As we close the books on 2022 and write the first lines of our story in a new year, let’s consider one essential question to guide our thoughts and actions. Read Ezra chapter 3 along with Zechariah 4:10, what do...