Perry’s Scope: Christian sermons, lessons, and resources for teachers

Open

Please share your response to one of the following:

• What is the worst thing that can happen if you take a risk and fail? What is the best thing that could happen if you take a risk and succeed?
• What is the worst rejection you have experienced? How did you handle it?
• Do you think it is possible to live with no regrets? Explain.

Study

Please read Acts 7.9-16 and discuss the following:

1. What were some of the reasons Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him? (See Genesis 37)
2. How do you think Joseph felt when he rose in status in Potiphar’s house (Genesis 39)? When he went to prison? When he became “second in command” in Egypt (Genesis 41)?
3. How do you think Joseph was able to endure his circumstances?
4. What do you think were his greatest struggles?
5. How does Joseph gift of dream interpretation become a “gift and a curse”?
6. How do you think Joseph gained wisdom in his life?
7. How do you think Joseph is able to honor God and not blame him in Genesis 50.20?

Apply

• What do you wish others knew/understood about you that you think they usually do not? How does the account of Joseph apply to your situation? What can you do to improve others’ view of you? Your lack of understanding with others?
• How is the Joseph account a lesson on parenting? On faith?
• What responsibilities do you see in connection with the abilities God gives us? (As Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams; Genesis 40.8; 41.16, 25, 32)
• How have you gained wisdom through your trials?
• How do YOU know God is in control, even in the dark times?

Open

Please share your response to one of the following with your Group:

• When you discover a new interest do you tend to jump in with both feet or pace yourself? Give an example.
• Who is your favorite story teller? Why?
• What was your favorite bedtime story as a child?

Study

Please read Acts 7.2-8 and discuss the following:

• Why do you think Stephen begins his defense with Abraham? In what ways could his “Hellenistic” background have influenced this?
• If God called Abraham twice (once before Haran and once in Haran – see Genesis 11.31-12.1), what does this say about God? What does this say about Abraham?
• When God tested Abraham in the sacrifice of Isaac, what point was He making with Abraham? What did Abraham learn? What does this say about his faith (see also Hebrews 11.19)?
• How does the account of Isaac’s sacrifice parallel what God did in Jesus?
• In what ways did God reward Abraham (see Genesis 12.1-3)?

Apply

• What causes you to hold back in your walk with God? What can you do to “let go and let God” lead you?
• How does it affect you knowing that God works with us in our imperfections? – Does it energize you to live in the power of God’s grace? Does it make you slack off and take advantage of him?
• What ONE thing do you have trouble giving to God? What causes you to hold on to it?
• As a church, how can we learn to “leave it on the field”?

Open

Please share with your Group your response to ONE of the following:

• As a child did you ever run away from home or want to run away? Where did you go or want to go?
• What is one thing you dream of trying if you knew you could not fail and money was not an issue?

Study

Please read Luke 15.11-32 and discuss the following:

• Why do you think the younger son wanted to leave home?
• What are some significant things about:

• The son’s request?
• The father’s gift?
• The father looking for his son?
• The father RUNNING to his son?
• The father restoring his son?
• The father throwing a party?
• What brings the young son to his senses?

Apply

• With whom do you most identify in this story? (Father; Older Son; Younger Son) – Why?
• How is this story a picture of what Jesus was doing?
• In what ways have you been like the “prodigal”? What snapped you out of your delusions?
• What can we do to help modern “prodigals” return home? In what ways could this be awkward for us?

Open

Please share your response to one of the following with your group:

• What is the most expensive item you have ever lost? Found?
• What was your first nickname?

Study

Please read Luke 15.8-10 and discuss the following:

• Why do you think that losing ONE coin was such a big deal to this woman?
• How does this coin represent repentance and salvation for us?
• Who does the woman represent in the story?
• In what ways is this significant? How is it unusual?
• What is important about the woman admitting that she lost the coin?
• Why was the coin hard to find?
• What is the reason Jesus mentioned the woman lighting the lamp?

Apply

• What is the key point Jesus is making with this story (and whole chapter)?
• How do you feel knowing that God has expended immense energy and resources to find YOU?
• When you have been found by God, what motivations do you have?

Open

Please share your response to one of the following:

• In the “Lost & Found Department” do you lose more or find more?
• If you were to pick one place to live the rest of your life, where would that be? If you had to live in several places, where would they be and why?

Study

Please read Luke 15.1-7 and discuss the following questions with your Group.

• What do you think are some significant things about the purpose of this parable?
• Why do you think Jesus (as well as other rabbis) chose to speak in parables?
• What is the point of this parable? How does it indict the Pharisees and Scribes?
• In what ways had the religious leaders misunderstood God?
• How is the shepherd in this story a symbol of Jesus? Who does the lost sheep represent?
• What is the value of the sheep to the shepherd? Of a person to God?
• Why is there a celebration over the sheep that was found? Over the sinner who is found?

Apply

• How did God seek you?
• How does this story make you feel about your worth to God?
• Why do you think we may wander from God?
• How can this story help some you know who have wandered from God?

Open

Please discuss your response to one of the following:

• What memory aids do you have to keep you from forgetting things?
• What are three things you are thankful for? How do you demonstrate that thankfulness?

Study

Read Deuteronomy 8.1-20 and discuss the following:

• Why do you think we tend to forget the things God does for us? How does prosperity enhance this memory lapse?
• In what ways do you think the time in the wilderness was a blessing to the Hebrew people? Why does these seem unlikely to us?
• What lessons do you think they learned in the wilderness?
• How does God discipline us as a father disciplines his children? (similarities/differences)
• Why do you think God wants us to bless him AFTER we have eaten and are satisfied? (8.10)
• How is God the source of all blessings?

Apply

• What do you think it will take to keep us mindful of the things of God?
• What lessons can we learn by observing the Hebrews in the wilderness? In the promised land?
• In what ways is the prosperity of our land detrimental to us?
• What do you think God wants us to do with the blessings he has given us?

Open

Please share your answer to one or two of the following:

• What is the most significant thing that has happened to you since we last met?
• How long have you ever held a grudge against someone? How did you (or will you) resolve it?
• Where did you grow up?

Study

Please read Matthew 18.21-35 and discuss the following with your group:

• In what ways do you see forgiveness as an obligation? As an opportunity?
• Why would it be a good idea to be “extravagant” in forgiveness?
• See Genesis 4.23-24 – How is Jesus using this event to teach about forgiveness? How do we generally feel about taking revenge?
• How does forgiveness bring a sense of freedom to us? How is an unforgiving spirit imprisoned?
• What are some consequences to an unforgiving attitude?
• Based on the parable Jesus taught, what is God’s forgiveness like? Ours?
• How is forgiveness life-giving to the one who forgives? How is it life-giving to the one forgiven?

Apply

• Why do you think it is hard for us to be forgiving to others? What specific things can we do to become more forgiving?
• What role does Bible study play in the forgiveness process?
• What are some reasons we may not want to forgive? How can we overcome these?
• In what ways is forgiving a threat to you? What would help you to feel less threatened?

Open

Please share your response to one or two of the following:

• As a child, how did you get along with your siblings? What did you tend to argue/fight about? How did your parents handle the rivalries?
• Thinking back on your childhood, who were your best neighbors? What made them stand out to you?
• When you were growing up, who in your neighborhood or school did you have trouble getting along with? Explain.
• When do you recall your family doing a service project together?

Study

Please read Luke 22.24-30 and discuss the following:

• Why do you think change is hard for us? How is it inevitable?
• Why is serving others so hard?
• In what ways do we battle “self”?
• Why do you think the Disciples were hung up on being the greatest in the kingdom?
• How is leadership in the church the opposite of worldly leadership? What happens when the church is run like a business? When should business principles be employed in the workings of the church?
• How does Jesus exemplify servant leadership (see also John 13.1-17)? Why do you think he chose to use this demonstration? What are some by-products of servant-leadership?

Apply

• Why did you choose to attend this congregation? In what ways are you served? In what ways do you serve?
• What are some practical steps to get out of the “serve me” and into the “serve others” mode?
• What are some anonymous things you can do to stimulate the serving spirit within yourself and encourage others at the same time?

Open

Choose one of the following to open your Group:

Favorite T-shirt

Ask attendees to bring (not wear) their favorite T-shirt to the meeting. Once all participants have arrived, ask each person to show the shirt to the group and explain how the T-shirt best resembles their personality.

Finish the Sentence:

A celebrity (living or dead) I admire is _______________ because ______________.

Study

Read Luke 18.15-17 and Discuss the Following:

• What reasons can you think of that people would bring their babies to Jesus? Does this still happen?
• Why do you think the disciples wanted to keep these babies from Jesus?
• How do you think Jesus feels about the disciples’ actions? Why?
• In what ways do you think God is “child-like”? [Examples – Creative/Wonder-filled; Sense of humor; Celebrations (parties); Teachable]
• In what ways has God given blessings to people in the Bible? What were their reactions?
• What impact can parents verbally and physically blessing their children have?
• What potentials are there in touch?

Apply

• How can you bless someone?
• How can you become more like children in walking with Jesus?
• How can you reach out to those who are neglected by the mainstream Christian?
• What is ONE quality that a child possesses you want to incorporate into your life?

(MRI = Message of Reconciliation and Imitation)

Open

Leaders – Please lead one of the following exercises with your Group:

My Name Is

Go around the group and ask each person to state his/her name and attach an adjective that not only describes a dominant characteristic, but also starts with the same letter of his name e.g. generous Graham, dynamic Dave. Write them down and refer to them by this for the rest of the evening.

Word Link

This is a word association game. Ask the group to sit in a circle. The first person starts with any word they wish i.e. red. The next person repeats the first word and adds another word which links to the first i.e. tomato. The next person repeats the previous word and add another word link i.e. soup, and so on. To keep this moving, only allow five seconds for each word link.

Study

Read Micah 6.6-8 and discuss the following with your Group

1. Which do you think matters more to God: Making financial sacrifices or having a good attitude?
2. Why do you think God is so concerned with our inner person?
3. When you think about who God is, what descriptive words come to mind?
4. How do you think our worship is connected to our activities outside the worship services? (see also Matthew 25.31ff)
5. How do you think we can better allow God to “show through” in our lives?

Apply

1. What things about God do you want to imitate in your life? How do you think you can achieve this?
2. How does Jesus typify these things for you?
3. Do you think it is good to have heroes?
4. How do other Christians impact you?
5. In what ways are you impacting others by the life you are living? Are you helping people get closer to God or are you leading them away from him?