Bible Study - LUKE: The One Who Stands In Line With You
1. Share something you are thankful for or are celebrating. What did you receive or experience over the Christmas holiday that brought you happiness, peace or joy?
2. Where are you experiencing stress or anxiety as you start a new year? 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. Read Luke 3:1-22. Look at the notes in your Luke Journal related to this passage (pages 24-27). What stood out to you the most from these readings? What questions did you make note of that were raised for you by these readings? Did anything in these readings prompt you to do anything? To change anything? To believe something new?
5. Read Luke 3:3-6; 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 and 1 Peter 3:18-22. Chris mentioned that in the Jewish tradition, baptism had been around for some time before John the Baptist or Jesus came along. What values or principals do these passages infer that baptism represented in the Jewish tradition? Which of the values or principals represented by these two symbols was most important to you when you were baptized?
6. Read John 3:8. What did John the Baptist mean by saying that those who received his baptism should “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance?” Did your baptism prompt you to make a turn-around in your real life? What does it mean to be mastered by your possessions? Do you find it a continual challenge to allow Jesus to be the master of your possessions? Have you ever felt like you were being mastered by them? Is there a resolution for you to make regarding money/material possessions this year?
7. Read Ephesians 6:12. One of the things baptism represented in the Jewish tradition was freedom from bondage (Moses/Egypt). Do you think Chris was right in suggesting that our interest in God becomes more passionate when we need help with our circumstances - we want out of the job, we want into a different school, we want to lose 40 lbs., we want a raise, etc.? Do you have the same passion for God’s provision and protection from spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places? Why?
8. Read Luke 3:15-17. Why do you think John the Baptist is preoccupied with Jesus coming and bringing the power of heaven with Him – in the form of the Spirit coming upon on all who would receive Him? What is the connection between being baptized with Spirit and bearing fruits in keeping with repentance? Is there a need in your life for a fresh empowering of the Spirit?
9. 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?
2. Where are you experiencing stress or anxiety as you start a new year? 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. Read Luke 3:1-22. Look at the notes in your Luke Journal related to this passage (pages 24-27). What stood out to you the most from these readings? What questions did you make note of that were raised for you by these readings? Did anything in these readings prompt you to do anything? To change anything? To believe something new?
5. Read Luke 3:3-6; 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 and 1 Peter 3:18-22. Chris mentioned that in the Jewish tradition, baptism had been around for some time before John the Baptist or Jesus came along. What values or principals do these passages infer that baptism represented in the Jewish tradition? Which of the values or principals represented by these two symbols was most important to you when you were baptized?
6. Read John 3:8. What did John the Baptist mean by saying that those who received his baptism should “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance?” Did your baptism prompt you to make a turn-around in your real life? What does it mean to be mastered by your possessions? Do you find it a continual challenge to allow Jesus to be the master of your possessions? Have you ever felt like you were being mastered by them? Is there a resolution for you to make regarding money/material possessions this year?
7. Read Ephesians 6:12. One of the things baptism represented in the Jewish tradition was freedom from bondage (Moses/Egypt). Do you think Chris was right in suggesting that our interest in God becomes more passionate when we need help with our circumstances - we want out of the job, we want into a different school, we want to lose 40 lbs., we want a raise, etc.? Do you have the same passion for God’s provision and protection from spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places? Why?
8. Read Luke 3:15-17. Why do you think John the Baptist is preoccupied with Jesus coming and bringing the power of heaven with Him – in the form of the Spirit coming upon on all who would receive Him? What is the connection between being baptized with Spirit and bearing fruits in keeping with repentance? Is there a need in your life for a fresh empowering of the Spirit?
9. 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?