Know Grow Show

20220508 | A Surprising Heirloom (Acts 9:36-43)

The Passage: Acts 9:36-43 The One Thing: A Surprising Heirloom Growgroup Discussion Starters Know K1 Think of what you own. What are you most likely to pass on as an heirloom? Grow G1 At first reading, Tabitha’s story appears to be a “basic” healing story. What most surprises you about the story of Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43)? G2 What is the significance of Tabitha making both the inner garments (chiton) and outer garments (himation) for the widows? G3 It is likely that Tabitha was a widow. She also ministered to widows. What in your experience might give you an advantage in ministering to people? Given this experience, who might God be calling you to reach? G4 The idea of an heirloom (in its original sense) is a tool or implement that can be passed on. What tools or knowledge do you need to be passing on? G5 Dan said, “You do not need to have a blood relative to create an heirloom”. What did he mean by this? G6 Why is Tabitha’s story so encouraging to people who struggle with Mother’s Day or who have experienced loss? Show S1 Consider donating to the “Get On” fund to help Ukrainian refugees get on line and get on the road. We have $3470 to go!

A Surprising Change of Circumstances (Acts 9.1-6)

Weekly live worship service from Cornerstone Church, North Gower (Ontario) FOLLOW US #northgowercornerstone WEBSITE https://www.knowgrowshow.ca/ INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/northgowerc... FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/northgowerco... The Passage: Acts 9:1-6 (7-20) The One Thing: A Surprising Change of Circumstances Growgroup Discussion Starters Know K1 If you had the power, what “exterior circumstance” of yours would you most like to change? (Location? Job? Family? Appearance? Friendship group? Etc) Grow G1 Think about the idea Dan introduces of “interior circumstances”. In what way can what goes on inside you be considered a “circumstances”. How does using the word circumstance change how you view your inner self? G2 Which of Saul’s transformations was the most impressive in your mind? The change of what came from his heart? His mouth? His hands? G3 What was the moment Saul was saved do you think? Was it Acts 9:3-5 where Jesus appears to Saul or Acts 9:17-18 when the scales fall from his eyes and he is filled with the Holy Spirit? What does Saul’s experience teach us about the nature of “salvation in Jesus”? G4 Why is being willing to suffer for Jesus such a powerful testimony? What is the difference between someone being willing to suffer for Jesus and a suicide bomber? G5 Why is encountering Jesus (being saved) not enough? Why is it necessary to then be filled by the Spirit? G6 What is the significance (if any) of Saul continuing on to Damascus after his encounter with the Risen Christ? Imagine the state of mind of the Christians as he came to the city. Have you ever doubted someone’s conversion experience because you knew them before? Show S1 Have you encountered Jesus? Have you been filled with the Spirit? Take time this week on your own to pray “Jesus save me”. “Holy Spirit fill me”. Ask Him to terraform your interior circumstance through a “Road to Damascus” experience.

A Surprising Conflict of Allegiances (Acts 5:27-32)

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The Passage: Acts 5:27-32 The One Thing: A Surprising Conflict of Allegiances Growgroup Discussion Starters Know K1 Would you give up your faith in Jesus for $70,000 or not (like Sister Hua)? Grow G1 Have you ever been tempted to disobey human authorities for ethical / Biblical reasons? Share as much as you feel comfortable (don’t incriminate yourself or place others in an uncomfortable position!) G2 When it is right to disobey authorities? G3 What do we make of Paul advocating for civic obedience under Nero’s tyrannical regime (Romans 13:1-2)? G4 What was the track record of the Sanhedrin demanding obedience from Peter and the apostles? Why is knowing the track record of human authority / God important in deciding how we respond? G5 How does Jesus’ response to Pilate in John 19:10-11 help us understand the power dynamics at work in the world? G6 The Sanhedrin demanded obedience “because we said so”. We can be similarly simplistic in our desire to “obey the Bible”. What factors should we take into account when trying to understand commands / laws we find in the Bible? Show S1 Questions to ask yourself when determining whether to disobey human authorities Why should I obey God? Do I know His love? Do I see His external witness in the world around me? Do I know the internal witness of the Holy Spirit? Who is it that is demanding my obedience? Why should I obey them? Would it honour God to obey them even if I don’t agree with their worldview or their way of understanding life? Is there anything in what they are asking that should move me away from the default Biblical principle of obeying those in authority? Is what I’m being asked to do by human authorities in conflict with Kingdom Principles that Jesus preached? Have I prayed and sought wise counsel regarding how to proceed? Am I willing to pay the price?
 

Press On Through From Wondering To Wonder (Lent)

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The Passage: Luke 24:1-12 The One Thing: Press on through from wondering to wonder
Know K1 Do you live life mostly in a state of wondering (questioning, doubting) or WONDER (awe, amazement)? Recall the last time you “WONDERED”.
Grow G1 From our passage today (Luke 24:1-12), where can we see that wondering (questioning, doubting) is an essential part of WONDER (awe, amazement) particularly when it comes to our life of faith in Jesus?
G2 Why is it important that despite their grief, the women WENT to embalm or anoint Jesus’ body? What does this tell us about them?
G3 Track the women’s journey with Jesus in Luke 8:1-3, Luke 23:49, Luke 23:55-56 and Luke 24:1. What do we learn about the relationship of these women to Jesus?
G4 “He is not here; he has risen!”. Why is this statement such good news? (reference 1 Corinthians 15:17-22) G5 Read Luke 24:12. In what way does Peter’s journey mirror the journey of the women? What does this tell us about the important of telling others of the WONDER we’ve experienced?
Show S1 When it comes to your faith, what are you wondering about (questioning or doubting)? Take time to tell God your wonderings. And then ask Him to lead you through this wondering to a place of WONDER.

Press On Through To Obedience In The Mystery (Lent)

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Know K1 Consider the “Rock in the road” story. Dan said “Your obedience sets in motion a chain of events that you cannot control”. Have you ever done the right thing and then had an unexpected blessing as a result?
Grow G1 Put yourself in the shoes of the two disciples Jesus asked to take the donkey for Jesus. Would you have been eager to obey Jesus command or nervous? G2 Reflect on Luke 19:31, 34. How far are we willing to forego property or time simply because ‘the Lord has need’ of it? G3 In our passage, who did Jesus rely on? What do you make of the idea of God the completely sufficient NEEDING something? What does this tell us about the way God interacts with our world? G4 What do you make of God’s claim over you, your life and your “stuff” being absolute? G5 For further study: In Luke 19:30, we see our Lord’s sovereignty over creatures that would otherwise kick and fight to have the rider removed. Consider his dominion over creatures in Matthew 17:27 (see also 1 Kings 17:2-6 and Jonah 1:17; 4:6) G6 Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” What are you doing to help “all the nations” hear about Jesus? Show
S1 For further study: In Luke 19:30, we see our Lord’s sovereignty over creatures that would otherwise kick and fight to have the rider removed. Consider his dominion over creatures in Matthew 17:27 (see also 1 Kings 17:2-6 and Jonah 1:17; 4:6)

Press On Through To Pour Out (Lent)

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The Passage: John 12:1-8
The One Thing: Press on through to pour out
Growgroup Discussion Starters
Know
K1 What is one of your favourite memory smells?
Grow
G1 Who do you relate with best: Serving Martha? Socializing Lazarus? Sensible Judas or Sacrificial Mary?
G2 Has anyone ever made you uncomfortable in their worship of Jesus? What did you do in that situation? What would you do now?
G3 What do you think Jesus meant when He said “John 12:8 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” (NIV)”
G4 Where do you think was going through Mary’s head (and Mary’s heart for that matters) when she was pouring out the Nard Perfume on Jesus’ feet?
G5 If Judas hadn’t been stealing from the money pot, do you think the point he made about selling the perfume and giving it to the poor was a good point? Would it have been a better use of the perfume?
G6 Has anyone ever made you uncomfortable in their worship of Jesus? What did you do in that situation? What would you do now?
Show
S1 Take time to ask Jesus this question “Jesus (without worrying if it makes sense to others) how can I pour out my love to you?”. Listen to impressions or thoughts you get in that time of quiet and take these as His words to you.

Press On Through To Home (Lent)

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The Passage: Luke 11:1-3, 11b-32
The One Thing: Press on through to home
Growgroup Discussion Starters
Know
K1 Who do you most identify with in the story: Self-indulgent Ian or Self-righteous Richard?
Grow
G1 Dan said that self-indulgence and self-righteousness are “categories” of sins that cover most sins. Do you agree with this? List some sins: where would we “file” each sin, under which category?
G2 Is one category harder to repent of than the other? If so, why do you think this might be?
G3 Look back at Luke 11:1-3. Why is this context so important to the parable?
G4 Dan said that this is the story of the Lost Sons. In what way did each son need to come home? Which son had the hardest journey home? Explain your answer.
G5 How do you think the story ended? Do you think Self-Righteous Richard came back home or not?
G6 What is the picture of the Father we get from this parable? What lie did each son believe about the Father? What truth did they need to believe to counteract the lie?
Show
S1 Think of your friends. Some will be more like Self-Righteous Richards. Others like Self-Indulgent Ians. Using your personal salvation story, think about how you can use it to speak to each of these kinds of people.

Press on through to fruitfulness (Lent)

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The Passage: Luke 13:1-9 The One Thing: Press on through to fruitfulness
Growgroup Discussion Starters
Know
K1 What fruit should a disciple of Jesus be exhibiting (verse 9)? How do you know if you are being fruitful?
Grow
G1 How would you have answered the implicit question “Did God kill the people in the temple and tower incidents?” in Luke 13:2 + 4? How does your answer compare with Jesus’ response?
G2 How would you describe Jesus’ tone in these verses? What do you make of it?
G3 What similarities do you see in the topics of conversation in the culture at the time (represented in these verses?) and those you hear today in your culture?
G4 The problem of evil can be summed up like this: “if God is all good, all powerful and all knowing then why is there evil in the world?” How would you respond to this question?
G5 Talk about the vineyard and the fig tree (verse 6-9). Who does the vineyard owner represent? The gardener? The vineyard? The fig tree?
G6 What does this parable tell us about our role and God’s role in our spiritual growth? How do verse 8 and 9 communicate both urgency and grace?
Show
S1 What might Jesus need to remove (dig) from your life? What might Jesus need to add to your life (fertilize) to make you more fruitful?

Jesus Pressed On So You Can Press In (Lent)

Weekly live worship service from Cornerstone Church, North Gower (Ontario) FOLLOW US #northgowercornerstone WEBSITE https://www.knowgrowshow.ca/ INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/northgowerc... FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/northgowerco... REGISTER Register for Church Indoors https://rsvp.church/r/Rn0fE6xV The Passage: Luke 13:31-35 The One Thing:  Jesus pressed on so that you can press in. Growgroup Discussion Starters Know K1 When I say the word “chicken”, what words come to mind?
Grow G1 What is Jesus trying to say through the use of the chicken metaphor in 13:34? G2 13:31 Do you think the Pharisees were warning Jesus out of concern or out of some other, less noble, motive? G3 Jesus was clear about His goal (13:32). What was it? In what way do you think the goal motivated Him? G4 Do you believe that Jesus was invincible until He fulfilled God’s purpose for His life? Do you think we are? Explain your answer. G5 What circumstances in your life cause you to seek shelter under Jesus’s wing? G6 Who in your life needs to know Jesus as their Brother Hen? Show S1 This week, allow Jesus to speak to you by co-opting Jesus’ words in verse 34 in the following pattern: “(Say your name), (your name), you who (speak out your sin) and (your sin), how often I have longed to gather you, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Find a quiet place and picture Jesus saying this to you. And response by pressing in.

Press On Through The Desert (Lent)

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The Passage: Luke 4:1-13
The One Thing: Press on through the desert
Growgroup Discussion Starters
Know
K1 Where have you experienced counter-narratives recently?
Grow
G1 What does the idea of a counter-narrative mean?
G2 Satan tries to trick Jesus with 3 counter-narratives – self-reliance, shortcuts and scripture. Which of these are you most susceptible to?
G3 How can scripture, misused, be a powerful weapon in Satan’s hands? Can you think of any examples?
G4 Why is suffering such a key part of the Christian life? What purpose might it serve and why do we resist it whenever possible?
G5 What do you think might have been Jesus’ state of mind after fasting for 40 days?
G6 Verse 13 of chapter 4 tells us that after tempting Jesus, Satan left him until an “opportune time”. What does this tell us about Satan’s strategies? How might we prepare?
Show S1 Take time this week to meditate on the key scripture from our passage today: “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” (4:8). How can this truth help you to push through the desert of your life circumstances at this moment in time?