With Growth Groups starting up, there are two options for your groups.
The first is to work through the studies written for our network of churches. They contain lots of background, and will walk you through the passage. You can get the PDF’s here – http://freshchurch.net/sermons-studies/
The second option if you’re feeling a bit braver is to read the Gospels as they were written – bare and uninhibited! Print out the passage we’re looking at from biblegateway.com (or use your own bible), read the passage together, and then just ask some questions about it. Here’s some questions that’ll help you get to what the passage is trying to communicate.
Context of the section:
- Where does this section fit within the overall Bible storyline? Within this book?
- What came before and what comes after this section? How do they link together?
Understanding what it says:
- What recurring or unusual ideas appear in this section?
- What would this section have meant to those it was originally written or spoken to?
- What is the logic of the passage? Write down it’s main point.
Understanding in light of Jesus:
- How does Jesus life, death and resurrection affect what’s said here?
- What does this passage have to say to those who are trusting in Jesus?
- What does this passage have to say to those who aren’t trusting in Jesus?
Application:
- What is the most obvious application of this section for my life?
- What have I been most challenged by as I’ve read through this section?
- What would be the most incorrect application of this passage?
