1. Paul warns that we can be "captured" by false ideas that pull us away from Christ.

• What are some messages or beliefs our culture promotes that sound good but ultimately pull people away from Jesus?

• Have you ever believed something about God, yourself, or salvation that wasn't actually true? How did you realize it was a lie?

2. The central truth of tonight's passage is that salvation is found in Christ alone.

• Why do you think it's so difficult for people to accept that salvation is a gift rather than something that must be earned?

• Do you tend to drift more toward trying to earn God's approval or feeling like you're never worthy enough to receive it? Why?

3. Paul pushes back against the idea that salvation comes from adding spiritual practices or cleaning ourselves up first.

• What are some things Christians are tempted to add to the gospel today ("Jesus plus _____")?

• What are some ways people try to clean themselves up before coming to God instead of coming to Him as they are?

4. One of the best ways to recognize false teaching is to know God's Word for yourself.

• How confident do you feel in studying and understanding Scripture on your own?

• What is one practical step you could take this week to grow deeper in your knowledge of God's Word and your relationship with Christ?

Leader Follow-Up (if discussion goes deeper)

"Salvation = Christ. Not Christ + anything. Not Christ - anything."

If you truly believed that Christ's work was completely sufficient, how would that change the way you approach your failures, guilt, or spiritual life this week?

What would it look like to be more rooted in Christ rather than in your performance?

1. Paul pleaded with God to remove his thorn in the flesh, yet God chose to give him strength rather than immediate relief.

   • Is there a situation in your life where you've been asking God to change something but it hasn't changed?

   • How have you seen God provide strength, wisdom, or growth in the middle of it?

2. Paul endured incredible suffering because he was anchored by a clear purpose: helping others know and mature in Christ.

   • What "why" is currently helping you endure the challenges in your life?

   • How might God be using your trial to impact someone else or deepen your faith?

3. The sermon's main idea was that "endurance comes from weakness, not strength."

   • Why is it often difficult to admit our weaknesses and depend on God?

   • What does dependence on God practically look like for you right now?

4. Paul viewed suffering through the lens of eternity, remembering the "hope of glory" that awaited him.

   • How does keeping an eternal perspective change the way we view present hardships?

   • What promises of God help you stay focused when you're tempted to lose heart?

Optional deeper follow-up:
If someone who knew nothing about your current struggles watched the way you're responding to them, what would they learn about God from your example?

1. Paul says that Christ is “the greatest thing we need and the greatest thing we can receive.” What are some things in your life that you’re most tempted to treat as your greatest need instead of Christ? How do those things affect your peace, priorities, or relationship with God?

2. The sermon talks about how “Christ is not the means to an end… He is the end itself.” How can we subtly turn Jesus into a way to get the life we want instead of actually wanting Him most? What does it practically look like to desire Christ for who He is, not just what He can give?

3. The sermon emphasizes that knowing Christ fully changes the way we view everything else in life. In what ways does your picture of God shape how you respond to stress, suffering, success, or failure? How might growing in your understanding of who Christ is change the way you live day to day?

4. he passage reveals Christ as the image of God, creator, sustainer, head of the church, and redeemer. Which of those identities of Christ stands out to you most right now, and why? How does seeing Jesus in that way affect your trust in Him or the way you relate to Him personally?

1. How can you know God more fully in your life? What parts about him do you really understand? What parts bring you confusion?

2. How can you walk worthily? What might God be calling you to give up? What might he be calling you to add to your life? 

3. How can you endure joyfully? What might it look like for you to turn to God in your trials and submit to Him? To find joy in them?

4. Epaphras was just an ordinary person who heard the gospel and then shared it with others, and God used that to plant a church. Who are some people God has placed in your life right now that you could intentionally encourage, invite, or share your faith with?

1. Have you ever struggled with answering the question of why God allows suffering? What is it that’s most difficult for you to understand about suffering?

2. Which of the four sources of strength do you struggle with the most? Which one have you found most helpful for you?

3. There were many truths about God and about evil presented tonight. How do they help you process the suffering you have experienced in your own life?

4. How can we as a group help you process or support you in the trials you are facing?

1. Have you ever experienced (or witnessed) “church hurt”? How did it affect your view of church, leadership, or even God?

2. The sermon emphasized not letting distrust of the church become distrust of Jesus. Why do you think that’s so difficult in practice? What helps (or could help) you keep that distinction clear?

3. In Ezekiel 34, we see that God condemns harmful leaders and pursues wounded people. Which of those truths stands out to you more personally right now, and why?

4. The sermon challenged us that sometimes hurt comes not just from leaders, but from other Christians. In what ways can we unintentionally push people away from Jesus? What would it look like to represent Him better in everyday life?

5. Of the three closing steps (trusting Jesus, forgiving others, and staying in community), which feels the hardest for you personally—and what would it look like to take a small step in that area this week?

1. Start Here: 

Which part of the message stood out to you most and why? Was it a story, a phrase, or a moment that felt personal?)

2. Understanding Anxiety: 

When you think about anxiety as a “signal,” what do you feel like it’s most often pointing to in your life right now? (Fear, lack of control, past experiences, pressure, something else?)

3. Processing Honestly: 

Which of the three responses feels hardest for you right now and why? 

•    Bringing it to God (honest prayer)

 •    Bringing it to people (opening up) 

•    Bringing it to wise counsel (therapy/mentorship)

4. Moving Forward (Application)

What’s one next step you could take this week to not carry your anxiety alone?

(A conversation, a prayer habit, reaching out for help, etc.)

1. Why do we tend to focus on life decisions (career, relationships) when thinking about God’s will rather than the things Scripture clearly says are God’s will?

2. What are some ways you think God guides people today? (For example: Scripture, prayer, wise counsel, circumstances, peace, etc.)

3. What makes it difficult for us to trust or follow God’s will sometimes? How do fear, control, or expectations play a role?

4. Why is the idea that suffering can be part of God’s will hard for people to accept? Have you seen God use a difficult season in your life to grow your faith?

5. Looking at the list of things the sermon said are God’s will (being saved, praying, being Spirit-led, serving, sharing, being steadfast, being satisfied in God), which one do you think God might be inviting you to grow in right now? Why?

1. When you hear the topic “women in church leadership,” what emotions or thoughts come up first for you? Curiosity, tension, clarity, confusion, something else?

2. Why do you think sincere, Bible-believing Christians land in different places on this issue?

3. Have you ever felt unqualified or not ready to step into leadership within our ministry or church? If so, what specifically contributed to that feeling and what could we do as a community to better equip, encourage, and propel you into leadership?

4. Danny mentioned egalitarian and complementarian views where do you think you fall on that spectrum? (Complementarians believe men and women are created equal in worth but have different, complementary roles, with male leadership in the home and church (e.g., 1 Tim 2:12). Egalitarians (argue for equal, partnership-based roles, with no gender-based restrictions on leadership or ministry)

5. How can we remain unified as a church family when there isn’t total consensus on this issue? What would maturity look like in handling differences here?

6. What is one thing from tonight’s sermon or panel that challenged or clarified something for you?

Group Qs:

*Disclaimer* - As we start our group time tonight, we want everyone to know that there is no expectation on our end for you to talk about if you currently or have in the past experienced or struggled with same sex attraction. We want this to be a safe place for you to process and so if you would like to talk about it we are happy to listen, whether that is in your group or with your leader individually or Hannah or Thomas. Just let us know.

That being said, most of our questions tonight are going to center around how we as Christians can lovingly engage with those around us who might experience this.

1 When approaching hard topics, do you tend to find yourself falling into the category of love and no truth or truth and no love?

2 Why do you think sexual sins tend to be so hard for us to find freedom in or resist against?

3 How can you practically be a friend to someone in your life that might experience same sex attraction?

4 How can you lovingly share the gospel to someone in your life that might experience same sex attraction?

5 Are there any prayer requests or things that you would like advice on in your life that we can talk with you about?

1. Tell us a story about a time where God used you to make a difference in someone's life.

2. Have you ever felt consumed by the mission of Jesus? What did that feel like? Was there something that motivated you to feel that way? Was there anything that hindered that motivation?

3. Why do you think we sometimes lose sight of the mission of Jesus? What might be some barriers that get in our way?

4. How can you practically fulfill the great commission where you are right now?

5. Is there anything God might be telling you to do that you haven't said yes to? If so, what is it?

1. Have you ever had a time where you felt far from God? Tell us about that experience.

   • Follow-up: How did you process or work through that feeling?

2. When you have moments where you feel far from God, which of the four reasons might be contributing to that and why? (hard situations, lack of time with Him, unrepentant sin, feeling unworthy)

3. Are there any other possible reasons someone might feel distant from God that you can think of? What are they?

   • Follow up: How have you seen those to be true in your life?

4. What does it look like for you to stay consistent and disciplined in your relationship with God in the midst of these moments?

5. What would be some good Scriptures to learn that can help in these moments?

6. Is there anything you need to confess to the group, or anything you need prayer for?

1. Question:
   “When you think about trusting the Bible, what feels harder for you right now: unanswered questions about whether it’s true, or the idea of what it might ask you to change if it is true?”

Leader follow-ups:

• “What makes that side feel harder for you?”

• “Has that shifted over time, or has it always been that way?”

• “What do you think shaped that for you?”

2. Question:
   “Was there a moment in the sermon—either a fact, an example, or a story—that gave you more confidence in the Bible, even a little?”

Leader follow-ups:

• “Why do you think that part stood out to you?”

• “Did it answer a question you already had, or raise a new one?”

• “How did it change how you feel, even if it didn’t change everything you think?”

3. Question:
   “The sermon said the real question is often ‘What will this cost me if it’s true?’ If you’re comfortable sharing, what is something it might feel costly to surrender to Jesus right now?”

Leader follow-ups:

• “What makes that feel costly?”

• “What do you fear might happen if you let go?”

• “Have you ever surrendered something before and seen God meet you there?”

4. Question:
   “How do you usually respond when faith questions come up—do you tend to search for more information, avoid the question, or wrestle with God about it?”

Leader follow-ups:

• “Where do you think that instinct comes from?”

• “How has that response helped you in the past?”

• “How might God be inviting you to respond differently right now?”

5. Question:
   “What would it look like for you this week to take one honest step toward Jesus—either by asking a hard question or opening up a part of your life to him?”

Leader follow-ups:

• “What would make that step feel realistic, not overwhelming?”

• “Who could help support you in that?”

• “Would you be open to sharing how it goes next week?”

Questions: 

1. When you think about doubt, what emotions come up for you?

• Do you tend to feel shame, fear, confusion, or something else?

• Why do you think people often feel like “bad Christians” for having doubts?

2. Of the two types of doubt in the sermon — “Peter doubts” (feelings) and “Thomas doubts” (facts) — which one describes you most naturally?

• Can you think of a recent example of a doubt you’ve had?

• What was underneath it — fear, pain, not understanding something, feeling distant from God, struggling with evidence, etc.?

3. Read Matthew 14:28–31. What stands out to you about how Jesus responds to Peter?

• What does this teach you about Jesus’ posture toward people who are struggling emotionally?

• How does this challenge or encourage how you approach Him?

4. Read John 20:25–27. How does Jesus meet Thomas in his doubts?

• What part of Jesus’ response feels most surprising, comforting, or challenging?

• How might this change the way you handle intellectual questions or uncertainties about your faith?

5. The sermon said: “Doubt becomes dangerous when it pulls us away from Jesus instead of toward Him.”

• What does it practically look like to bring your doubts toward Jesus?

• What could be one step — small or big — you could take this week to explore your questions with Him?

Discussion Guide

• God’s person isn’t the one with a plan, but the one with a willingness to obey. 

• God’s person isn’t one with no fear or shame, but the one with the courage to act in the face of fear or shame.

Questions: 

1. Do you have plans that get in the way of God’s will or align with His will? Is it hard for you to let go of those plans?

2. What are some ways that you can know God’s plans for you?  

3. How does God speak to you?

4. Do you ever allow fear or shame to prevent you from obeying God? Why is shame so hard to overcome?

5. Have you ever felt like Paul in Romans 7:15-25?

6. Is there something God is asking you to do, that you need to have the courage to do?

Group Questions:

1. What's one thing you are thankful to God about for this year?

2. What's one thing you are thankful about for this group? (If you're new, don't worry about this one! Or, you can answer about community in general.)

3. How can you remember Jesus in your every day life?

Group Questions:

1. In your own words, what does it mean to “guard your heart”? Why do you think Solomon calls the heart the source of life?

2. The sermon talked about how Solomon wrote wisdom but didn’t live by it. Why do you think it’s so easy to know truth but fail to follow it?

3. What are some modern examples of “small compromises” that can slowly pull our hearts away from God? How can we recognize them before they grow?

4. What are some areas where you have been compromising that you need to set boundaries? How can this group help support you in that?

5. Guarding your heart means setting boundaries, but it’s not just about rule-following — it’s about worship. How can you guard your heart this week not just by avoiding sin, but by filling it with what draws you closer to Jesus?

Group Questions:

1. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” When have you personally experienced the truth of that verse - either by being hurt by words or being built up by them?

2. The sermon compared words to food - some that nourish, and some that harm. What are some “junk food” words we often feed ourselves or others? What would a “healthy diet” of words look like?

3. Why do you think lying, gossip, and slander are so easy to justify or minimize compared to other sins? How do they actually damage trust and community?

4. Jesus said our words reveal what’s in our hearts. What do your words lately reveal about the condition of your heart? Where might God be calling you to repent or grow?

5. Corrie Ten Boom’s story showed the power of forgiveness and prayer. Who in your life might God be prompting you to forgive - or to encourage - with words that bring life instead of death?

Group Questions:

1. Why do you think money has such a strong influence on our decisions and emotions? How have you seen it affect your own sense of security or anxiety?

2. Proverbs 3:9–10 says to “honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.” What does that look like practically in your life today?

3. The sermon said, “We give out of remembrance of the past and trust for the future.” How does remembering God’s past faithfulness help you trust Him when things feel uncertain financially?

4. When you think about money, which temptation is stronger for you — to forget God when things are going well, or to doubt Him when things are tight? How can you guard against that?

5. Giving isn’t just about money — it’s about worship and trust. What are some creative or meaningful ways you can use your resources (time, money, possessions, talents) to honor God and show His love to others?

Group Questions:

1. What is the biggest thing you’re praying for that’s out of your control?

2. What are some ways you're tempted to force it or take it into your own hands?

3. Why does surrender with this particularly feel so scary or difficult?

4. What do you think God is trying to teach you in this season?

5. How can we specifically pray for you?

Group Questions:

1. What kind of friend are you becoming?

How do people feel after spending time with you, and what could you do to be a wiser, more intentional friend this week?

2.  Who’s shaping you most right now

Which friendships are helping you walk closer to Jesus, and which might be pulling you away?

3. How can you balance friendships with Christians and non-Christians?

How do you love and influence friends who don’t share your faith without letting those relationships shape your values or direction?

4. How does Jesus’ friendship change yours?

How does knowing Jesus calls you His friend help you love others well and set healthy boundaries?

5. What does “walking with the wise” look like in real life?

What are some ways we can surround ourselves with people who make us more like Jesus?

6. How can you be that kind of friend for someone else this week?

What’s one intentional way you can point someone toward Jesus through your friendship?

Group Questions:

1. What do you think it means to have a “fear of the Lord” in your daily life? How is that different from being afraid of God?

2. What are some practical ways we can show respect for God’s place in our lives, especially when it’s easier to follow our own wisdom instead of His?

3. The sermon described that fearing the Lord looks like awe, obedience, and hatred of evil. Which of these comes most naturally to you, and which one is most challenging right now?

4. Can you share a time when you ignored godly wisdom and learned from it? What might it look like to respond differently next time?

5. How does looking at Jesus’ life shape the way you want to approach decisions and challenges in your own life

Group Questions:

1. What does the parable of the talents teach us about God’s trust in us and His expectations of our faith?

2. Why do you think the first two servants acted boldly while the third buried his talent? How do we sometimes do the same today?

3. The sermon’s big idea was: “True faith leads to action.” What does that look like in your life right now?

4. If the gospel is the greatest “talent” entrusted to us, what helps you—or holds you back—from sharing it with others?

5. Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus, and who could you come alongside to help grow in their faith?

Group Questions:

1. Living Among the Weeds:
   Jesus teaches that the wheat and weeds grow together until the harvest. How do you see this reality play out in your own life—in your community, school, work, or even personal relationships?

2. The Problem of Evil:
   When you see evil in the world (violence, injustice, corruption), how do you wrestle with the question of why God allows it to continue? Have you ever questioned God’s goodness because of it?

*Follow-Up: How does the idea of good and evil being necessary for freedom help you process it?

3. God’s Patience:
   2 Peter 3:9 says God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish. How does this truth impact the way you view people who don’t yet believe in Jesus? What does it stir in you personally about urgency or compassion?

4. Judgment and Love:
   Why do you think many people struggle with the idea of God’s judgment and hell? How does seeing judgment as an act of God’s love and justice change the way you think about it?

5. Responding to Jesus:
   The sermon made it clear that God did not leave us alone to deal with the cost of our sin, but has rescued us through the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus. Have you put your faith in Jesus? How has that changed your life? 

If not, would you like to? What might be keeping you from doing so?

Group Questions:

1. When you read Luke 18:9–14, what stands out to you the most about the Pharisee’s prayer compared to the tax collector’s prayer?

2.  Why do you think Jesus said the tax collector, and not the Pharisee, went home justified? What does that teach us about how God views humility and pride?

3.  Where in your own life are you tempted to “perform” for God or for others instead of being honest about your need for Him?

4. The Pharisee bragged about fasting twice a week. What’s a “modern version” of that. Something people might do today to feel more spiritual or to look good to others?

5.  The tax collector simply asked for mercy. What would it look like for you this week to approach God honestly, like the tax collector, instead of trying to prove yourself?

Group Questions:

1. The expert in the law wanted to “justify himself” (v.29). In what ways are we tempted to justify the limits of our compassion today?

2. The priest and Levite walked by the wounded man. What are the modern equivalents of “crossing to the other side of the road,” and why do we so easily choose them?

3. The Samaritan’s compassion cost him time, money, and risk. What does this parable reveal about the relationship between love and sacrifice?

4. Jesus reframes the man’s question from “Who is my neighbor?” to “Am I being a neighbor?” How might that shift challenge the way you view the people in your community?

5. If someone examined your daily habits, relationships, and generosity, what would it reveal about your understanding of loving your neighbor?

6. What is one step you can take to be neighbor to someone this week?

Group Questions:

1. When you hear the word “forgiveness,” what’s the first picture that comes to your mind? And how does that compare to the picture Jesus gives us in this story?

2. If unforgiveness is like living in a prison, what would you say your “cell” has looked like in the past? And how has it affected you more than the other person?

3. We all have our version of Peter’s question: “How far do I really have to go with this forgiveness thing?” If you’re honest, what’s your limit right now?

4. Jesus cancels billions in the story, and the servant chokes someone out over pocket change. What’s one area in your life where you’ve received God’s “billions worth of grace”and how could that shift the way you see the “pocket change” moments with others?

5. Which of the three steps Name the Debt, Release the Keys, Repeat as Needed hits you the hardest right now, and what would it look like to take one next step this week?

Group Questions:

    1    When you think about the four soil types in Jesus’ parable, which one best represents your current response to God’s Word, and why?

    2    Have you ever put your trust in Jesus? If so, tell us about it. If not, what might be keeping you from it?

    3    What distractions, fears, or desires in your life could be inhibiting your growth in faith right now?

    4    How do you typically respond when following Jesus becomes uncomfortable, inconvenient, or unpopular?

    5    Who in your life might need you to “sow seeds” of the gospel, and what could be a practical step toward sharing with them this week?

Group Questions:

1. The parables described the kingdom of heaven as inconspicuous—like a mustard seed, leaven, or hidden treasure. In what ways have you seen God’s kingdom show up in small or subtle ways in your own life?

2. The sermon pointed out that we often want Jesus to be the kind of Messiah we prefer (one who fixes everything, brings success, or rules loudly). What “version” of Jesus are you most tempted to want, and how does that affect your faith?

3. The parables of the mustard seed and leaven show that the kingdom is influential—it grows and changes things over time. How has following Jesus influenced and transformed you? How can your story be an influence on others?

4. Jesus said the kingdom is expensive—it costs us everything, but it is worth it. What is one thing in your life right now that might be hard to give up for Jesus? How could surrendering it to him lead to greater freedom?

5. The big idea of the sermon was: “The kingdom of heaven is worth it.” If you were explaining this to a friend who doesn’t follow Jesus, how would you describe why the kingdom is worth everything?

Group Questions:

1. Where do you find yourself chasing “more” in life right now (freedom, success, experiences, relationships)? How has that left you feeling full or empty?

2. Have you ever struggled with comparison, feeling like someone else “got more” than you? What helps you shift from counting tickets to celebrating grace?

3. If “home isn’t earned, it’s accepted,” what would it look like for you to take one step toward “home” with God this week, whether that’s confession, gratitude, or simply showing up as you are?