The Invitation - End of Week 3

INTRODUCTION
The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN QUESTIONS
If you were to describe who Jesus is to you, what word or title would you use and why?

HEAD

1. Read Luke 20: 1-19 together and share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts that come to you from the reading.
2. There is so much to unpack in that verse, but let’s start with why you think it was hard for the Pharisees to accept that Jesus had authority.
3. Were the law teachers trying to answer Jesus’ question honestly, or were they thinking about themselves and what others might think of them?  How do you think Jesus would have preferred them to respond?
4. Read Luke 20: 20-40 together and share any wisdom, insights, or thoughts that come to you from the reading.
5. Why were the teachers so jealous of Jesus?
6. Do you think Jesus meant that God would come and kill the teachers of the law in verse 16?  If so, how does that picture of God fit with the image of the God who was about to give His life for all on the cross?

HEART

1. How do you think Jesus was able to steer clear of the traps of the teachers of the law time and time again?  How did He know them so well?
2. In verse 21, even though they were trying to trap Jesus, they spoke the truth - Jesus taught the truth, which wasn’t always what people wanted to hear.  This whole chapter is entirely of the law teachers being concerned over what people thought of them or their speaking to what the people wanted to hear.  How do you and I avoid the trap of caring more about what people think of us than what Jesus thinks of us?
3. Who has the ultimate authority in your life?  Is it Jesus? Is it your pursuits of worldly accolades, or are you living simply to please a parent or spouse?
4. How can you surrender your life today to Jesus as your ultimate authority?

HANDS
In another prayer time, open your palms and turn them down, facing the ground.  As you pray, let go of all the things in your life you’ve given authority to, all the voices you listen to that aren’t from God.  Once you’ve let all that go, turn your palms up and ask God to speak the truth of who you are and how He truly feels about you into your heart.  Then, sit and receive what He has to give you.

LIVING WORDS FOR YOUR WEEK
“All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.”
1 Timothy 1:17 NLT