28 Mar Discussion Guide: Jesus His Final Week Part 2

Moving Forward With Discipleship Groups

Having come to the end of the Unshakable series, and the 6 week focus on getting together in smaller, discipleship focused groups, my hope is that you have been seeing Jesus grow you and shape you through this intentional focus on connecting with one another. Just because the Nehemiah series is over doesn’t mean your discipleship groups have to come to an end. As we continue to pursue Christ together over the rest of this year, take what you have experienced over the last month and a half and let it continue on in these relationships. This is how we will become the kind of multiethnic, multigenerational, Gospel-Centered community God is calling us to be.

Prayer

Take the first few minutes of your time together to listen to what God is doing in one another’s lives and pray for any specific needs people in your group may have.

For the next few weeks, leading up to Easter, we are going to be looking at the last week of Jesus’ life. Where did he go? What did he say? Why did he do the things he did? Could that last week have gone any other way? And what does it all mean? After all, at the heart of our faith is not an idea, but a person, so we’re going to take a look at that person together and see how the life, death and resurrection of Jesus impacts the way we do life together.

Discussion Questions

What would you say Jesus came to do?

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

“The moment you have a self at all, there is a possibility of putting yourself first – wanting to be the centre – wanting to be God, in fact. That was the sin of Satan: and that was the sin he taught the human race. Some people think the fall of man had something to do with sex, but that is a mistake…what Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they ‘could be like Gods’ – could set up on their own as if they had created themselves – be their own masters – invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come…the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”

Have you ever broken or damaged something that did not belong to you?

How did that affect your relationship with the person it did belong to?

What was required to repair the damage done to that thing, and to that relationship?

How have we damaged both God’s design for creation as well as God’s desire for relationship?

Matthew 26:37-42

And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.

Have you ever felt like God was calling you to do something that was going to cost you more than you were willing to pay?

What did the internal dialogue, or prayers you prayed, sound like in that moment?

What was this “cup” Jesus is referring to that He clearly did not want drink from? And why do you think He was so undone by the thought of this cup?

What does this scene tell us about who Jesus is?

Matthew 26:50-54

Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

Have you ever done something, or reacted to something, out of fear? How did that work out for you?

What sort of situations tend to cause us fear? Why?

Why did Peter draw his sword? Why did the other disciples all run away? What were they afraid of?

Jesus said, “Those who live by the sword die by the sword.” How does living in fear kill God’s design for our lives and our world?

Closing Thought

How does seeing Jesus embrace the fear of the cup of God’s wrath empower us to overcome our own fears and live a life of faith and love?

Is there any fear you are experiencing right now that we, as a community, can stand with you in and pray with you about?