Bible Study - LUKE: The Silent Treatment
1. Share something you are thankful for or are celebrating. If you could have anything for Christmas
when you were 12 years old, what would it have been? Why?
2. Where are you experiencing stress or anxiety? Share that with the group, and ask your group to be
praying with you about that.
3. What did you hear in this week’s sermon that was new or particularly interesting? Did anything
stand out to you as puzzling or troubling?
4. What stood out to you the most in this week’s readings in the Luke Journal? What questions did
you make note of that were raised for you by this week’s readings? Did anything in this week’s
readings prompt you to do anything? To change anything? To believe something new?
5. Read Luke 1:1-4. Make a list of things this passage says or infers about the sources of information
the writer consulted in putting together this account of Jesus’s life. What does the writer say is the
purpose for writing this book? Do you think of the Gospels as being more for people who already
believe or for those who don’t know Jesus? Why? Why do you read the Gospels?
6. Read Psalm 141:2; Luke 1:9-13 and Revelation 8:4. From these passages what does the burning
incense seem to represent? Chris suggested a couple of possible options regarding what Zechariah
himself was praying for. Do you think part of Zechariah’s fear of the angel was related to what he
was praying for at that moment? Have you ever felt like there were things that -- in and of themselves were good -- but that it was inappropriate for you to be asking God for them? Why?
7. Read Luke 1:14-25. What do you think about the sign Gabriel gave to Zechariah to confirm what
he had said would happen? How might the sign that was given have served to strengthen and
encourage the faith of Zechariah and Elizabeth? Is it possible to read this in a way that Gabriel does not come off as easily offended?
8. Read Galatians 6:7-10 and 2 Peter 3:9. Have you ever felt like God was ignoring you or your efforts
to please Him because nothing good was happening for you? What did you do? Chris said, the
question is -- will we keep showing up and doing what we’re called to do in in those seasons where
God is silent? What can we do for each other to help us “keep showing up?”
9. Chris mentioned that one thing we learn from Zechariah’s story is that God is not held hostage to
our faith or a lack of it. What does that mean? Have there been times when your faith was lacking
and yet in the end God’s provision wasn’t?
10. Read Luke 1:67-79. How does Zechariah’s song remind us to make sure we don’t miss the Light in
the midst of all the lights, the Gift in the midst of all the gifts, the Tree – that is the cross - in the
midst of all the trees this Christmas season?
11. In the next 24-48 hours, what simple next step could you take in obedience to what you’ve learned
from your time in God’s Word? Who would benefit from hearing what you’ve learned this week?
Will you share it with them?
when you were 12 years old, what would it have been? Why?
2. Where are you experiencing stress or anxiety? Share that with the group, and ask your group to be
praying with you about that.
3. What did you hear in this week’s sermon that was new or particularly interesting? Did anything
stand out to you as puzzling or troubling?
4. What stood out to you the most in this week’s readings in the Luke Journal? What questions did
you make note of that were raised for you by this week’s readings? Did anything in this week’s
readings prompt you to do anything? To change anything? To believe something new?
5. Read Luke 1:1-4. Make a list of things this passage says or infers about the sources of information
the writer consulted in putting together this account of Jesus’s life. What does the writer say is the
purpose for writing this book? Do you think of the Gospels as being more for people who already
believe or for those who don’t know Jesus? Why? Why do you read the Gospels?
6. Read Psalm 141:2; Luke 1:9-13 and Revelation 8:4. From these passages what does the burning
incense seem to represent? Chris suggested a couple of possible options regarding what Zechariah
himself was praying for. Do you think part of Zechariah’s fear of the angel was related to what he
was praying for at that moment? Have you ever felt like there were things that -- in and of themselves were good -- but that it was inappropriate for you to be asking God for them? Why?
7. Read Luke 1:14-25. What do you think about the sign Gabriel gave to Zechariah to confirm what
he had said would happen? How might the sign that was given have served to strengthen and
encourage the faith of Zechariah and Elizabeth? Is it possible to read this in a way that Gabriel does not come off as easily offended?
8. Read Galatians 6:7-10 and 2 Peter 3:9. Have you ever felt like God was ignoring you or your efforts
to please Him because nothing good was happening for you? What did you do? Chris said, the
question is -- will we keep showing up and doing what we’re called to do in in those seasons where
God is silent? What can we do for each other to help us “keep showing up?”
9. Chris mentioned that one thing we learn from Zechariah’s story is that God is not held hostage to
our faith or a lack of it. What does that mean? Have there been times when your faith was lacking
and yet in the end God’s provision wasn’t?
10. Read Luke 1:67-79. How does Zechariah’s song remind us to make sure we don’t miss the Light in
the midst of all the lights, the Gift in the midst of all the gifts, the Tree – that is the cross - in the
midst of all the trees this Christmas season?
11. In the next 24-48 hours, what simple next step could you take in obedience to what you’ve learned
from your time in God’s Word? Who would benefit from hearing what you’ve learned this week?
Will you share it with them?
Posted in Sermon-Based Bible Study