Week Four:
- Reflect on Sunday’s message. What stands out to you? How did Jesus speak to your heart?
- Read Luke 15.25-32 together. Let’s focus on the elder brother’s reaction and the father’s response. In what ways can you relate to the elder brother? What can this reveal about our own hearts? If you were the father how might you be tempted to respond to these two sons? How does the father’s tender and beckoning response speak good news?
- On Sunday we considered how the father’s response points toward the Tree of Faithfulness. In Genesis 12-18 we find God forming a covenant family with Abraham (near a tree in Mamre!). What are some examples you can think of from the rest of the Old Testament where we observe God’s faithfulness to His covenant and His people? What is a story from your own life of a way in which you have experienced God’s great faithfulness?
- Is God’s faithfulness good news to people in the Comox Valley who don’t know Jesus yet? How so? Give some examples of things people in the Comox Valley may be facing and how the faithfulness of God speaks good news to that.
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Christmas Outreach: By now your group should have decided on a Christmas Outreach that you will participate in together. If not, make that decision today. What are the next steps? What do you need to do to plan and be well prepared for this Christmas Outreach?
Prayer Time:
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Get into 2's & 3's (men with men, women with women)
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Pray for each other
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Pray for 3 people by name who don't know Jesus yet
Week Three:
- Read Luke 15.11-24 together. Let’s focus on the younger son’s request. What thoughts and feelings may he have had in making this request? What might this experience have been like for the father?
- Early in Genesis we see God introduces humanity to two trees. Life & Freedom, whereby people can choose dependence or independence. On Sunday we considered the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil and how it points to God’s purpose for freedom for people. What stood out to you? How does this tree uniquely point to God’s love and His desire for relationship?
- What kids of thoughts and ideas do you think the people of the Comox Valley have about God? What misunderstandings about God may people have that would cause them to prefer independence?
- Theologian Dustin Benge said, “Unbeliever’s recognize their sin as their freedom. Believers recognize their sin as their bondage. Jesus Christ changes everything!” How does Jesus change everything? (Optional for deeper discussion: How does Galatians 5.1 & 5.13-17 fit into all of this?)
- Christmas Outreach Brainstorm: Last week your group brainstormed ideas of things you could do to help someone who doesn’t know Jesus yet Feel the good news this Christmas. Narrow your ideas down to one you could work on together. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to really meet someone’s needs or to bless them? What are the next steps?
Prayer Time:
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- Get into 2’s & 3’s (men with men, women with women)
- Pray for each other
- Pray for 3 people each by name who don’t know Jesus yet
Week Two: (see image below ITGAGN -2.10)
- Read Luke 15.11-31 together. What stands out to you from reading this story today? In what way did Jesus speak to your heart through this Sunday's message?
- The definition of "life" has been debated for years. How would you define "life"? Feel free to compare definitions online and then try writing your own definition together as a gorup.
- In what ways might our Genesis origin story offer a more hopeful and purposeful message to people in the Comox Valley, many of whom may think life is either accidental or a faceless, impersonal entity or force? Is this part of the "Good News", how so?
- On Sunday it was said that the Tree of Life is a Tree of Dependence. How might people of the Comox Valley struggle with this? How might Christians today struggle with dependence?
- Christmas Outreach Brainstorm:
- Step 1) Take turns telling each other about your local mission field (people that you know here who don't know Jesus yet) -name names!
- Step 2) As a group list 4-5 ideas of something your group could do to practically meet the need of someone who doesn't know Jesus yet. Pray and ask God to lead your group.