Lean In // 5 minutes
What are some truths that you’ve had to test before believing?
Sample answers may include…
- Hand on a hot stove
- Speeding gets you a ticket
- Cloudy days still equal sunburn
- Too much sugar makes you sick
- New parents are sleep deprived
Look Down // 10 minutes
Read Luke 6:12-16
What do you learn about Jesus’ choosing of the apostles?
Sample answers may include…
- Jesus’ first move was to get alone with God
- He took the decision very seriously, prayed through the night!
- Understood what was at stake (Gospel message and the Church!)
- He sought out the disciples and chose them to be his apostles (“sent ones”)
Commentary: It is important to remember how disciple school worked in their context. A student had to become the best-of-the-best before they could ask a rabbi to become his disciple. Jesus reversed this process for His Disciples. Scripture teaches us that He chose them and they were people that were overlooked for such an important calling. In essence, Jesus said, “I believe you can be like me.” And, these disciples or apostles were the very ones that Jesus sent, based on His authority, to begin and build His Church, which is why Jesus got alone to pray…through the night!
Read Luke 6:17-26
What are the surprises in the passage?
Sample answers may include…
- The blessings and the woes?
- The poor // The rich
- The hungry // The happy
- The persecuted // The popular
- The contrast between two kingdoms: The World and God’s Kingdom
- The poor, hungry, heartbroken, and persecuted have an eternal reward
- The rich, well-fed, happy, and popular already have their reward
Commentary: Jesus’ message would have been just as radical for His audience, then, as it is for us, today. From early on in life, the wisdom of the world teaches people to seek out money, power, position, happiness, etc. in which to build and base their lives and therefore be seen as blessed. However, Jesus teaches a radically different message that connects blessing with dependence on God and woes to dependence on stuff and circumstance.
Look Out // 10 minutes
How have you seen people make important decisions?
What are examples of things that solve problems according to the world?
Sample answers may include…
- Government
- Education
- Money
- Fame, connections
Look In // 20 minutes
What are the current decisions you are facing? How are you making them?
What would it look like to lean more on hearing God’s Voice before moving forward with a decision?
Leader Note: From the passage, we learn how Jesus got alone with God and prayed before choosing the twelve disciples and then teaching them about blessings in God’s Kingdom. Help your group to understand the role of hearing God’s Voice for both making decisions but also for receiving Kingdom truths like The Blessings and Woes (vv. 20-26).
Live It Out // 5 minutes
Imagine if God’s Voice was louder than any other voice, in our lives? What would the impact be on those around you?
Prayer: Begin by thanking God for the ways He has sought you out to follow Him. Thank God for the truths of His Kingdom and how they lead us to the truly blessed life. Ask God to begin helping your group hear His Voice more and more each day. Pray that His Voice would be the loudest one in your group’s lives and decisions would be made by His guidance.