Lean In // 5 minutes
How do you know when someone is passionate about something?
Sample answers may include…
- They talk about the topic a lot
- They get others excited about it
- It consumes their life, takes up their time and energy
Leader Note: Transition your group to the text by highlighting Jesus’ use of “Lord, Lord” in verse 21. This double literary technique is used throughout the scriptures to indicate intensity or passionate speech. Jesus is very passionate about the things He lays out in this passage.
Look Down // 15 minutes
Read Matthew 7:13-29
Leader Note: We are jumping outside of Luke for this passage as the parallel passage in Matthew offers more content for group discussion.
What are all the contrasts Jesus uses in this Passage?
Sample answers may include…
- The narrow and wide gate/road
- Destruction and life
- Good tree, bad tree
- Good fruit, bad fruit
- Those that think they are in and how Jesus actually see’s them
- The wise builder, foolish builder
What do you learn from those contrasts?
Sample answers may include
- For every choice there is an opposite choice
- Choices have related consequences
- It’s easy to be deceived into thinking your choice is the right one
- People often base their choices on convenience and lack of risk
- Jesus says there’s a difference between true and false disciples
Leader Note: Your group may gravitate to a discussion on “good” vs. “bad.” They may say that a Christ follower looks like someone who does “good” things and someone who isn’t a follower does “bad” things. Lead them to see that there’s much more to following Christ than the works we produce.
While right living is part of what it means to follow Jesus it is not the starting place or the way by which we become accepted followers. This passage tells us that a follower is primarily someone who builds their foundation on the rock that is the work of Jesus Christ.
Look Out // 10 minutes
Where in life do you see “broad roads” lead to destruction?
Where in life do you see “narrow roads” lead to freedom?
Sample answers may include…
Broad Destructive Roads
- Eating whatever you want
- Concealing the truth
- Credit and free spending
- Dating freely, multiple relationships
Narrow Freedom Roads
- Diet and discipline
- Telling the truth
- Stewardship and saving
- Commitment, marriage
What are all the types of foundations people build their lives on?
Sample answers may include…
- Wealth
- Security
- Fame
- Power and Success
- Control
What does it look like when those foundations collapse?
Look In // 20 minutes
When was time you had a foundation fail you? What was the effect on your life, on the lives of others?
What would it look like for you to rebuild those things on the foundation of Christ alone?
Live It Out // 5 minutes
What would it look like for you to build your entire life on the foundation of Jesus? How would your life be changed how would others be impacted?
Learn More About Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.
Listen to or download this message here