Northern Lakes Community Church: A Presbyterian Church in Traverse City, Michigan


Who We Are	Small Groups Small Group Discussion Questions - February 21 Read Matthew 5:21-32. As a child, were you more like Chicken Little or Mohammed Ali? What new standard of right and wrong does Jesus advocate in verses 21-26? Do you think Jesus means his conclusions (in verses 26, 30 and 32) literally? If yes, how would we be saved? If no, how would we be saved? Discuss the relationship between God's perfect justice and His grace. Small Group Discussion Questions - February 14 Read Matthew 5:17-20. As a kid, what family rule did you love to break? Why? Jesus uses hyperbole here and throughout his Sermon on the Mount. Hyperbole means the intentional use of exaggeration to make a point. List the places in these verses where he might be doing this. Hyperbole is not the same as fiction or lying. What truth does each exaggeration highlight? The Law is the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch. What use does Jesus say the old law should have now that he has come? How literally do you believe we must take the Old Testament law? What impact should it have on us day to day? Small Group Discussion Questions - February 7 Read Matthew 5:13-16. What cool thing/experience/person/memory are you most likely to talk about to others? Jesus said these things as part of his Sermon on the Mount. The two great themes he has introduced so far are "the last shall be first and the first shall be last", and that the Kingdom of God is breaking into the world. Where do you find references to each of these themes in the first 16 verses of this chapter? What does he mean with his salt illustration? What does he mean with his light illustration? How can we be salt today? How can we be light today? Small Group Discussion Questions - January 31 Read Matthew 5:1-12. When has somebody really surprised you? Jesus preached these Beatitudes at the start of his Sermon on the Mount. Thumb back through Matthew chapters 3 and 4. What has been going on for Jesus before he preaches? Pay attention to the exact categories of people he calls blessed. Do you fit any of these categories? Do you know anybody who does? What could Jesus possibly mean with this upside-down set of blessings? Small Group Discussion Questions - January 24 Read Matthew 4:12-25. When did you truly leave home for the first time? This passage happens right after Jesus' baptism and temptation in the wilderness. How did these events prepare him for his work? How do the words in verses 15-16 become a prophecy that comes true? What did Jesus actually preach and what could that mean for you? What did it mean for the four men in verses 18-22 to follow Jesus? What could it mean for us? Small Group Discussion Questions - January 17 Read Matthew 4:1-11. If a spy wanted you to turn over state secrets, how might he or she weaken you? What is the true nature of each of the three temptations Jesus faces? Read Deuteronomy 8:3, Psalm 91:11 and 12, Deuteronomy 6:16, and Deuteronomy 6:13. How do Jesus and the devil use scripture in their conversation? What human needs are at the heart of these temptations? How does Jesus pass a test here? Why does this matter to us today? Small Group Discussion Questions - January 10 Read Matthew 3:1-17. Which modern-day person — local or famous — would you cast in the role of John the Baptist? Why? Paraphrase John's message. Read Exodus 29:1-4. How does Jesus relive these verses? Our focus is on Matthew 3:13-17. Who is this Jesus that even John the Baptist wants to fall at his feet? What evidence for his identity do you find in this passage? What does baptism mean to you? Small Group Discussion Questions - December 13 Read Zephaniah 3:14-20. Share a story about a time when somebody gave you explicit instructions on how to do something, but you took a short-cut. How did that work out for you? For the person who gave you the instructions? Zephaniah preached God's judgment against the Chosen People for worshipping false idols. What idols does our nation/culture worship today? Our passage is a turning point in Zephaniah. Here, the prophet suddenly tells the people to sing and shout, to rejoice. Why? What will God do to inspire them? The Messiah appears in this passage. Where? When you are afraid or suffering in any way, does joy seem possible? How might you make a turning point in your life? Small Group Discussion Questions - December 6 Read Malachi 3:1-4. Malachi was probably not the name of an actual person. The word malachi means "my messenger" in Hebrew and no details about who this man might have been appear anywhere in the Bible. What things do you "just know" that you cannot attribute to any specific person or source? The prophecies in the Book of Malachi appeared about 450 years B.C. It was a time of restoration in Israel. The terrible exiles into slavery in foreign empires had ended. The Jews had returned home to the Promised Land and had rebuilt Jerusalem and its walls. Now that security and having enough to eat have been taken care of, what concerns does Malachi 3:1-4 emphasize? Who is the "Lord's Messenger"? Malachi himself or somebody else? What is this "day of the Lord"? What sort of judgment will it bring? What two-step process does the prophecy predict will happen among God's people? Can you see this process at work in our church? Small Group Discussion Questions - November 22 Read Philippians 2:1-10. Who in your family eats the last cookie? Who cleans the toilet? Read Acts 16:11-15. The Apostle Paul wrote Philippians to a church he had helped get started. What do you think is his main concern for this church, based on these verses? Would our church concern Paul in this way? Why or why not? How would your relationships change if you consistently applied the message of these verses? How could you make such a change and sustain it? What is the difference between humility and being a doormat? Small Group Discussion Questions - November 15 Read I Corinthians 3:1-15 but focus on verses 10-15. If you were a building, what kind would you be? Paul wrote I Corinthians to a church he loved. He had helped it get started and then moved on to repeat that work in other places. Now he is concerned about reports he has heard about misbehavior and false teachings in the Corinthian church. What is the point of Paul's building metaphor in verses 10-15? When is this work to be tested? Read II Peter 3:10-13. What place would our work have in the events of this Day? How can you make Jesus your foundation? How can the church participate in this? Small Group Discussion Questions - November 8 Read I Corinthians 3:1-9. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to a young church that had a little conflict and a lot of confusion about certain Christian teachings. What Christian teaching has always confused you? The church at Corinth had split into factions. How do you suppose each faction might have read verses 1-4? What did Paul mean by "infants", "milk" and "solid food"? Who was Apollos? (Read Acts 18:24-19:7.) What is the point of Paul's agricultural image in verses 6-9? How can we serve Jesus ourselves? What has God made each one of us to do, uniquely? Small Group Discussion Questions - November 1 Read Revelation 21:1-6. Name one of the most beautiful places you have ever been. What impressed you about it? The visions in this passage resemble others had hundreds of years earlier by the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, among others. Read Isaiah 60:10-14. Compare this picture with what you read in Revelation. The vision in Revelation is of the final, eternal, glorious entry of heaven into this earth when Christ has come again. List the good things predicted in these verses. What hopes do you have for eternal life? How does your faith in Christ change the way you deal with this present life? Small Group Discussion Questions - October 25 Read Hebrews 7:23-28. As a child, who was your favorite super hero or TV character? What could they do that you could not? The author of Hebrews was trying to use the Old Testament to prove that Jesus was the great high priest forever, and that no other priest would be necessary. What do you know about the role of priests in Old Testament Judaism? How did Jesus fulfill the priest role? What difference does Jesus' eternal sacrifice make in your sense of spiritual security? What are some of the "old ways" that compete with Jesus for attention in your life? How could you turn closer to Jesus? Small Group Discussion Questions - October 18 Read Hebrews 5:1-10. Name one event, person or thing that has caused you real pain. Hebrews is one long argument for Christ's perfect fulfillment of the Jewish prophets' prediction of a Messiah. What do verse 4-6 have to say about Jesus' credentials? Verses 7-10 explain that Jesus accomplished his work in a surprising way. What was that way? How does Jesus' unusual method fit the idea of him being a priest? How does Jesus' unusual method go to work on us? What things have made you consider turning away from Christ? How do you keep from doing so? Small Group Discussion Questions - October 11 Read Hebrews 4:12-16. When you blew it as a kid, to whom did you turn for comfort: a parent, sibling, dog, whom? Why? The Book of Hebrews constantly quotes from the Old Testament. Our passage refers to a "great high priest". Read Leviticus 4:13-21. What did the priests of the Old Testament do for the people? Verses 12 and 13 talk about the word of God. What do they say about this word, and where can we read it? Compare the Old Testament high priest to Jesus. What are the major differences between the two? What is the significance of Jesus' humanity? If Jesus is our priest, how can this help us in times of trouble? Small Group Discussion Questions - October 4 Read Job 42:1-6. The Robert Frost poem tells about taking the "less traveled by" of "two roads that diverged in a yellow wood". Do you tend to take the more, or the less traveled roads? What does this say about who you are? Job was considered righteous and law-abiding. In the Hebrew culture of his day this was thought to guarantee God's blessings. Does our culture think differently? The Book of Job is based on Satan and God disagreeing over why people obey God's laws (when they do!). Satan said people obey only because they think it earns them God's favor. God said it was out of faith and love. Which do you believe? In Job 42:1-6 what is Job's attitude toward God? With what attitude should we approach God? What do we think this "earns" us if we do? Small Group Discussion Questions - September 27 Read Matthew 15:1-20. Name a family tradition you received from your parents and have passed along to your children. In this chapter Jesus has just learned that King Herod has beheaded John the Baptist. Now these Pharisees and scribes track him down and confront him with belligerent questions. Do their concerns have any validity? The religious establishment had just decided to permit Jews not to support their parents if they gave the money to the Temple instead. Read Exodus 20:12 and 21:17. What does this have to say to the Pharisees? Which matters more to Jesus: strict observance of laws and traditions, or living out the love of God even if it means breaking the Law? How do you do on this question? What makes us unclean here and now? Small Group Discussion Questions - September 27 Read Matthew 15:1-20. Name a family tradition you received from your parents and have passed along to your children. In this chapter Jesus has just learned that King Herod has beheaded John the Baptist. Now these Pharisees and scribes track him down and confront him with belligerent questions. Do their concerns have any validity? The religious establishment had just decided to permit Jews not to support their parents if they gave the money to the Temple instead. Read Exodus 20:12 and 21:17. What does this have to say to the Pharisees? Which matters more to Jesus: strict observance of laws and traditions, or living out the love of God even if it means breaking the Law? How do you do on this question? What makes us unclean here and now? Small Group Discussion Questions - September 13 Have you ever seen a celebrity in the flesh? How did it make you feel? Read Psalm 47. This Psalm comes from the time of the first rebuilding of the temple (about 500 B.C.) Read Ezra 5 to learn more about that. What does this Psalm have to say about the power of God in relation to the power of the nations? What does it mean to say "God is King"? Do we live like we believe this? How do we praise God? How should we praise God? Small Group Discussion Questions - September 6 Have you ever had a "mountain-top experience" (a spiritual high)? Share a story about one, or about any particularly thrilling moment in your life. Read Matthew 6:25-33. This is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Scholars sometimes call this the preamble to his constitution, the foundation of his whole ministry. What major theme or themes of his can you find in these verses? How does your choice of treasure shape your life? How does the work ethic fit into this message? What one thing do you need to ask God to take off your list of worries? Small Group Discussion Questions - August 30 As a child were you ever caught red-handed by a parent doing something you knew they did not want you to do? Read Galatians 6:1-10. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to Christians trying to figure out the place of the Old Testament law should have in their lives. What is the "law of Christ"? (Read Galatians 5:14 for more information.) What is the purpose of the action Paul recommends in verse 1? Summarize the point of verses 7-10 in five words or less. Do you have a friend or relative who may need help with a burden? How might you help in the light of this passage? Small Group Discussion Questions - August 23 Do you feel human nature is basically good, or evil? Why? Read Galatians 5:16-26. Now read Romans 7:15-23. The Apostle Paul wrote both passages. Do these verses reveal Paul's view on the goodness or evil of human nature? Paul has spent several chapters trying to explain why Christians are not bound by the Old Testament laws. Read the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20. What role should these rules play in your life? In Galatians 5:16 Paul urges us to "live by the Spirit". What does he mean? How does Paul conclude this passage, and what does this say to us as we are the Church together? Small Group Discussion Questions - July 19 Have you ever been conned? Has somebody ever tricked you out of money? Read Galatians 3:1-9. Now read Genesis 12:1-9. What made it possible for Abram to do what he did? In Genesis 12:3 the Lord makes a two-sided promise. What are those two sides? Why does this matter to the Galatians? To us? Galatians 3:2 is the heart of the passage. The Apostle Paul asks how we receive the Spirit. What is his answer? When we receive the Holy Spirit, what does this do for us? Think of people who seem deeply spiritual. Without naming names, talk about their qualities and the things they do. Small Group Discussion Questions - July 12 Have you ever been stopped for speeding or some other traffic violation? Did the officer show grace or strictly enforce the law? Read Galatians 2:11-21. Verses 11-14 refer to an incident that happened some years earlier. Read Acts 10:10-35. What did Peter understand the message of his dream to be? The Apostle Paul wrote Galatians. This letter went to all the churches in a region. These churches apparently were becoming too legalistic. How did Peter's behavior contradict his beliefs? Does Paul refer to literal life and death in verses 19 and 20? Why or why not? Verse 16 contains the key point of this passage. What is that point? How can you obtain—or grow—the faith that makes life possible? Small Group Discussion Questions - July 5 Have you ever rented an apartment? How well did you take care of the property? Jesus told his parable of the Vineyard and the Tenants just after entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Luke tells us the Scribes and Pharisees "wanted to destroy him." Why? Who do each of the characters in the parable (Luke 20:9-18) represent? Is there anything surprising about the behavior of any of the characters, given whom they represent? After telling the parable, Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23 and Isaiah 8:14-15. Who or what did that "stone" really turn out to be? Why does this matter? If we are tenants in God's vineyard, how can we avoid the fate of the tenants in the parable? How could we live in a way that would please the vineyard's owner? Small Group Discussion Questions - June 21 Have you ever felt sheepish at being "caught" praying? Tell about the experience. Have you ever felt totally convinced God answered one of your prayers? Tell about the experience. In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus has just finished telling his followers many difficult things. One of them is that the Messiah would bring judgment to the world. Read Revelation 6:9-11 for more information on part of this judgment. Does this look like revenge to you? Luke states that the purpose of this parable is to encourage us to pray and never lose heart. Have you ever lost heart that there is a god, or that God does not truly protect you? Does the widow in this parable "win" over the judge, or does the judge eventually do the right thing? Create a prayer covenant within your small group. How can you hold each other accountable for daily prayer for each other? Small Group Discussion Questions - June 14 Tell about a time you felt taken advantage of by a wheeler-dealer. Jesus told his parable of the "wise" steward immediately after telling the parable of the Prodigal Son. Both talk of losing someone or something, and then regaining it. What does the Prodigal Son's father do when his son comes home? How does this contrast with the attitude of the rich man in the parable of the wise steward? Jesus refers here to the "Sons of Light". Read Ephesians 5:3-11. What does it mean to be a child of the Light? Who or what is the Light? The parable of the wise steward makes two important points. First, we are to take care of the gifts God gives us. Second, at times we must care for the gifts of God with whatever imperfect, human skills we possess. What gifts do you feel God has given you? How can you care for your God-given gifts? Small Group Discussion Questions - June 7 Luke 15:11-32 When have you gotten involved in something that you found out—after doing it for some time—was wrong? Share a time when you were surprised with unbelievably good news. Look up Leviticus 11:7 and Deuteronomy 14:8. Both passages belong to the Torah, or Law of God as found in the second through fifth books of the Old Testament. Given that Jesus and his audience for the parable of the Prodigal Son were Jewish, what did it mean that the son in the parable had to eat food left over from the pigs? Who do each of these characters in the parable represent: the younger, or prodigal, son; the older son; the father? Are you more of an older or younger brother as defined in this parable? How could you become whichever character you wish you were more like? Small Group Discussion Questions - May 24 List the menu for your perfect meal from the first course through to dessert. Jesus told the parable of the Great Feast to urge people to accept the invitation to enter the kingdom of God. The people who ignore the invitation in the parable have good reasons. Read Deuteronomy 24:5. Use this passage and your general biblical knowledge to answer the question of how the Jews of Jesus' day were using God's law to distance themselves from God. Read Luke 14:1-14. How does Jesus keep the Pharisee silent about healing on the Sabbath? If you could summarize the quality Jesus is advocating in verses 12-14, what would that word be? Read Luke 14:15-24. After reading this parable, do you believe God intends to prevent whole nations, or classes, or groups of people from the kingdom? Why or why not? What keeps you from responding to the invitation to enter the kingdom? Small Group Discussion Questions - May 17, 2009 Name something you really wish you could buy but is just beyond your realistic ability to afford. Jesus told the parable of the rich fool as part of his larger warning to depend on God, not our own resources. Read Jeremiah 17:1-11. What sins of the Israelites of Judah must have caused this prophecy? What view of human nature does Jeremiah seem to have? The great theme of the Old Testament is the covenant, in which God promises to bless the Chosen People in return for their obedience. Can we obey our way into God's favor? Turn to Luke 12:13-21. The passage opens with a man demanding that Jesus order the man's brother to divide their inheritance (equally). According to Deuteronomy 21:17, the elder brother was to receive a double share. How does Jesus respond? What is the point of this short parable? Small Group Discussion Questions - May 10, 2009 When has somebody very different from you helped you in some significant way? When have you helped somebody quite different? The conflict between the Jews and Samaritans went back to Old Testament times. Read I Kings 16:21-28 to see its start. Later, the Assyrians and Babylonians carried the Israelites into slavery. When they returned many of these slaves to the Promised Land they helped set up false idol worship and brought in people from other nations in the attempt to erase all trace of the Hebrew nation (read II Kings 17:24-34). How might this history have helped to cause the hatred between the Jews and Samaritans? Read Luke 10:25-37. What could Jesus mean by making the first two characters to pass by the injured man a priest and a Levite? What caused Jesus to tell this parable and do you ever have the same attitude toward God? What does it mean to show mercy here and now?
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