God’s grand Story NY - Session 2

why were people so attracted to Jesus why were people so attracted to Jesus too? That’s so why were there 20,000 people sitting there all these things right people went there and actually Jesus later on says they came just to watch another miracle. They follow me all day just to see the show right he talks about that after the feeding that they’ll go wherever because they want another meal they will. It wasn’t that they were hungry. It said they just wanted to see God do another magic trick, but they knew it was wonderful. They knew it was. They watched him do all of these Read Luke 4:14-30, in which Jesus claimed to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of the anointed one who would bring good news, freedom, and restoration—even to outsiders. How would you respond to someone who came to your church service with that claim?

Even though many rejected this claim, why did so many people accept it?

The passage from Isaiah that Jesus quoted was considered a promise of Israel’s coming Messiah and God’s judgment on its oppressors.

There is some question as to whether Jesus chose it Himself or it was already scheduled as the weekly Scripture reading.

In either case, He pointed to Himself as the fulfillment. But He stopped reading in the middle of a phrase, signifying that He was the fulfillment of the blessings but not yet the fulfillment of the “day of vengeance,” or the coming judgment.

That part of the passage will be fulfilled by Christ at His second coming.

Many of Jesus’ teachings are filled with statements about how to think and how to live. But He also presented Himself as the source of truth and the power that enables us to live up to it.

How does that distinction make Him different than other great teachers?

How does it affect how we respond to Him—i.e., prompting a response that is more than just following advice?

Some participants may struggle with this question.

If so, point out that when we try to obey Jesus’ words out of our own strength, we fail as certainly as Israel failed to keep the law.

The goal of Jesus’ teaching is not just to change our behavior, but to transform our hearts.

As we grow in gospel grace, we desire to do what His Spirit prompts us to do, and we learn to lean on Him for the power to live as we should.

Jesus is different from other teachers in that His words and His Spirit change us from within.

Audience

Read Matthew 11:25-30

Matthew 11:25–30 ESV

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

What does this passage tell us about how we receive God’s truth?

Who are those most likely to receive His truth in the way He intends? What does that tell us about the way we learn from Him?

The invitation of Jesus is not to the self-sufficient, to the person who “has it all together,” or to the one with no needs. It is to the person who is weary and burdened, knows it, is humble enough to admit it, and who is willing to turn to Jesus for help.

No wonder in His most famous “sermon” (see Matthew 5-7), Jesus began by declaring a blessing on those who are spiritually poor—those who have nothing to offer God.

It is when we are broken and humble that God floods us with His grace (James 4:6).

Thinking of ourselves as “okay” and Jesus as “nice, but not really necessary,” puts us in opposition to God (1 Peter 5:5).

Why do you think marginalized people—the poor, the hurting, children, women, Gentiles, etc.— were drawn to Jesus?

What can today’s church do to represent Jesus well in this regard?

It’s beyond tragic that one of the last places many hurting people would turn for help these days is the church of Jesus.

-Rather than mercy, the downtrodden all too often get lectures and scorn and judgment.

God forgive us...and God help us. No truly broken person ever left Jesus’ presence feeling shamed or unloved or “blown off.”

This question will no doubt spark a lively discussion in your group. The needs of the world are immense—in fact, a single family in trouble can quickly engulf the caring capacity of even a good-sized group.

- Talk about how busyness and weariness and questionable priorities can cause us to turn a blind eye to the needy.

- Talk about limits and boundaries and how some of our well-intentioned “helping” can inadvertently end up “hurting” those in need.

- Talk about how, if we’re honest, we’d prefer to pay a staff person to create a program that can do all that messy work of engaging deeply with broken people.

Parables

If you are familiar with any of Jesus’ parables, which ones have impacted you most?

Why do you think they have had such impact?

Obviously there is no right or wrong answer here.

This is your chance as a group leader to listen carefully—not just to spoken words, but to unspoken longings and hurts and fears behind those words.

Ask God to give you insight and discernment into the lives of the people in your group.

And remember that “why?” is always a great follow-up question. For example, “Why do you think you get so moved by that particular parable?” “Why does that story stick with you above all the others that Jesus told?”

Read Matthew 13:10-13, 34-35.

What do you think Jesus meant by “things hidden”?

What purpose did He have in speaking in a way that much of His audience would not understand?

Jesus echoed prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah—both of whom preached to people who were hard- hearted and did not understand—when asked why He spoke in parables.

This further identified Him as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy as well as implying that rejection is a common reaction to God’s appointed teachers.

Miracles

What goes through your mind when you hear a story of a miracle or a supernatural answer to prayer today?

How do friends and acquaintances react to these reports?

In what ways did Jesus face the same range of reactions: acceptance, skepticism, rejection, etc.? .

In what ways do you see these attitudes toward Christianity today? What a great question!

Buckle up—you may have people from all across the theological spectrum—some from traditional churches that downplay (or even discourage talk of) the supernatural, and others from more “charismatic” congregations that routinely seek and experience “signs and wonders.”

Encourage your group members to show grace to those with different viewpoints.

Maybe a good way of engaging this question is to ask at some point, “What are the dangers of each extreme—either putting God in a box and saying He can’t do miracles...or demanding that He always do miracles in every situation?”

Why was it important for Jesus to do miracles?

John preferred the word “signs” to “miracles.” This is an important fact. A sign points; it is never the point.

We don’t screech to a halt on the highway to gawk at a billboard (at least let’s hope not!). We see a sign and we follow it to the thing to which it points or directs us.

In the same way, the miracles of Jesus pointed to His identity and to the truthfulness of His message.

He did signs—or miracles—not to amaze His friends, gain followers, or embarrass His opponents.

He did miracles out of compassion, of course—to alleviate suffering and to help those in need. But He mostly did them to point to the larger truth that He is the way to God, the truth about God, and the life that God alone can give.

Always the physical, short-term miracles of Jesus—e.g., a healing of an illness for a few years, the feeding of a hungry crowd for a few hours—hinted at His power to bring about spiritual, eternal healing and to satisfy human hunger forever. Read John 14:12

John 14:12 ESV

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

What do you think Jesus meant when He gave His followers the same authority to do miraculous works and predicted they would do works greater than He did?

In His final instructions before ascending into heaven (Matthew 28:18-20), Jesus instructed His followers to go into all the world and duplicate the same disciple-making ministry He had just taken them through.

But He also insisted they first wait for the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49).

It’s only via the power of the indwelling Spirit that we are able to carry on the gospel ministry of Jesus.

Our efforts may not be “greater” in the sense of more spectacular. For example, we may never see anyone raised from the dead. But with the divine enablement of the Spirit, and with resources like the Internet and e-publishing and high-speed travel, a modern Christian can engage a far “greater” number of people than Jesus ever did.

Prophecy

Does the knowledge of Jesus’ return affect the way you live today? If so, how?

Some discussion questions are mostly observational and/or interpretational.

They ask factual, but impersonal questions about the Scripture: Who did what here? Where did these things take place?

What does this “mean”? Such questions have a place. Knowing and understanding truth is necessary. But it isn’t enough to merely know truth. We also have to “do” the truth—i.e., we have to put it into practice (see James 1:22.) That’s why this is such a great application question.

It makes us press the truth of Christ’s return down into our everyday lives. What you may discover is that many in your group, if they’re honest, don’t actually believe Christ’s return is imminent. Explore that.

Read John 16:33

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In what ways did this prediction apply to the disciples listening to Jesus? How does it apply to us today?

The night before His death on the cross, Jesus tried to reassure His disciples.

In so many words: The world is filled with trouble, and in the days to come, you’ll have plenty of reasons to give in to fear. But you don’t have to fret. Things are not what they seem. Even when it looks like the world has “won,” the truth is I have overcome the world.

Promises like John 16:33 and John 14:27 assure peace to those who follow and trust the Prince of Peace.

We are not exempt from difficulty in a fallen world, but we have the Helper, the Comforter, the Counselor, promised by Jesus, and He produces peace in our hearts .

Galatians 5:22 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,