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

Open

Please share your response to one of the following:

• When you were in school, what did it take to be “in”? “Out”?
• Who is the “greatest” person you have met? What made that person great?

Study

Please read Luke 18.9-14 and discuss the following:

• In what ways did these men have a similar worship experience?
• In what ways was it different?
• What was the significance of the animal sacrifice to the Jews?
• Where does prayer fit into the scene? What do you think the people prayed about?
• How were the Pharisee and Tax Collector different in their approach to God?
• In what ways do you think this parable was a “surprise” to Jesus’ hearers?
• Why do you think God applauds humility?

Apply

• It is easy to hear lessons and think that someone else needs to hear them. Maybe that is true, but how does this parable impact YOU?
• How would you respond if a person who was very different from you (in appearance; lifestyle; religious belief; political philosophy; etc.) wanted to become a member of our church?
• When have you been like the Pharisee in your approach to God?
• When have you been like the Tax Collector?

Open

Please share your responses to one of the following:

1. How do you feel when you are in a crowd?
2. What three things in your life would you like to send to the recycle bin?

Study

Please read Luke 8.42-48 and discuss:

1. What do you think is significant about the woman’s issue of blood? How has it affected her Socially?; Financially?; Ceremonially?; Emotionally?; Spiritually?
2. What connection do you think there is with the fact that Jairus’ daughter was 12 and the woman had the issue of blood 12 years?
3. What is the role of faith in this story?
4. Why do you think she grabbed the “Tzizit” (fringes) of Jesus’ Tallit (Prayer Shawl/outer garment)? What things was she aware of? (see also Malachi 4.1-3)
5. Why do you think Jesus asked who had touched (literally held on to) him?
6. Do you think she was a “righteous” person? Why or why not?

Apply

1. When are the times you have felt desperate? What role did your faith play in those times?
2. Have you ever been too frightened to bring a problem to God?
3. How does God see our issues?
4. What are some ways you have expressed faith?

Open

• How do you respond when you realize someone has “pulled the wool over your eyes”?
• What is your better means of motivation – the “carrot” or the “stick”?

Study

Please read 2 Chronicles 7.11-22 verses and discuss with your Group.

1. Why do you think God appears to Solomon in dreams? (see also 2 Chronicles 1.7ff)
2. How does he motivate Solomon?
3. What is the original situation for verse 14?
4. What are the promises to Solomon? What are the conditions to the promises?
5. Why do you think God makes his promises conditional?
6. Are God’s warnings harsh to you? Why?
7. What is the significance of verse 18?

Apply

• Although the initial intent of verse 14 was to Israel, how may we apply it?
• Contrary to modern history books, America was established on Biblical principles. How do you see our country’s alignment to the scriptures today?
• If you were the “Monarch of America,” what would you do to fix our problems (short answers, please).
• If we honor God as a nation, what will he do for us? What if we don’t?
• What are things YOU can do to help America get back on track?

Open

Please share your response to one of the following:

• As a high school student what did you do in your spare time? (Sports, student government, band, scouts, etc.)
•  
• Outside of your family, where would you say your personality, who you are today, was shaped?

• Junior high school
• High school
• Church
• Club or Organization
• College First Job

Study

Please read the following passages and share your responses to the following questions:

Matthew 22.34-40

• In what ways does this passage simplify our walk with God?
• Why do you think we try to complicate our faith?
• What happens to people when we make things harder than God intended?

Exodus 17.12-13

• What is the symbolism in this passage?
• Who do you think the Amalekites represent?
• What is significant about Moses’ hands?
• What is exemplified by Aaron and Hur? Joshua? His army?
• How does the steadiness of Moses’ hands represent our faith?

Deuteronomy 7.6-12

• What do you think is significant about the “steadiness/faithfulness” of God to us?
• What mutual obligations do we have?

Apply

• How would you say you are “chosen” by God? How is this similar to Israel? What obligations come with it?
• When you feel like wavering from God, what do you do to steady yourself?
• What battle has God won (or is winning) in your life lately?

Open

Please share one of the following with your Group:

• Do you prefer to buy clothes at – a garage sale or a Macy’s? Why?
• What is the greatest act of generosity you have ever seen? What made t so?
• In Dickens’ “Christmas Carol,” which Scrooge do you identify with – the miser or the one who shared?

Study

Please read Matthew 6.19-24 and discuss the following

• Why do you think the eyes are significant in Jesus’ statements here?
• Why would God describe generosity as the “good” eye? Stinginess as the “evil” eye?
• In what ways does the evil eye “see” itself?
• What is the connection between treasure and heart? Where do our eyes fit in?
• How does our choice of treasures affect our actions?
• How do our actions now produce rewards in the world to come? Why is this not about salvation?

Apply

• How do our eyes affect our actions?
• How does thinking as God thinks impact how and what we see and do?
• How can we cultivate an attitude that emphasizes others?
• What role does thanksgiving play?

 Open

Please share your response to one of the following:

• As a kid, what did you find difficult to confess to your parents?

• I can explain my life as an animal and that animal is a ___________

Study

Please read Nehemiah 8:18 – 9:5 and share your response to the following:

• Why do you think it is important to confess God’s greatness? What may happen if we don’t?
• Why do you think it is important to confess our own shortcomings? What may happen if we don’t?
• What is the significance of the 3 parts of their worship in this instance? (i.e., Instruction from the Word; Confession of God’s greatness; and confession of sin)
• What is significant to the setting of this account (return from Babylon)?

Apply

• Why do you think confession is so difficult for us?
• Why do we hesitate to praise God for victories in our lives?
• What things can we as a church do to make confessing sin (or praise) easier? How can this group help?
• How does it help you to recount “God’s story” with Israel in regard to confessing His greatness and your weakness?

 In his accusation of Job, the Adversary makes an important point. He asked, “Does Job fear God for no reason?” (Job 1:9, ESV). We often operate under the assumption that if we serve God, we receive. When difficulties come, we tend to stop serving and start complaining. Job ultimately comes out of his trial realizing that God deserves our worship regardless of what we “get” from him.

Jesus was the ultimate example of the correct attitude. He came to serve God – period. Note his teaching on serving in Matthew 20:25-29. A key to following God is not to seek reward but God.

The night of his betrayal and arrest was action-packed. He met with his disciples and ate their final Passover meal. As the meal unfolded, Jesus demonstrated the power of God in the emblems that he would use regarding his death, burial, and resurrection.

During the supper, Jesus also took off his outer robe, put on the towel and washed the FEET of the disciples to demonstrate the right thing in serving one another. He washed the feet of his betrayer. He washed the feet of the one who would vocally deny him. He also washed the feet of the “disciple whom he loved.”

Jesus did not pick and choose. He did not decide to wash John’s feet and then omit Peter and Judas – or the others who fled for their lives. He served them all with no strings attached – either to them or to God. It is always right to do right things. We may not always receive a reward for it, but it is right to do right.

Keep The Light Burning!

Perry Greene

  Open

Please share your response to one of the following:

• Would you say you have a “green thumb,” a “brown thumb,” or you are “all thumbs”?
• What is your favorite “success story”?

Study

Please read Luke 8:4-15 and discuss the following with your group:

• Why do you think Jesus uses this parable?
• How would you describe the soils in modern terms?
• Which of the soils do you think is the most difficult to change (either for the good or for the bad)? Which is the easiest?
• What role does the word of God play in impacting the soils?
• Why do you think it is important to keep sowing the seeds of God’s words on ALL soils?

Apply

• How would you describe the soil of your heart right now? Five years ago?
• How would you say your heart has changed over the years?
• What will be helpful for you to produce 100 times more than has been sown?
• What are some ways you can sow the seed of the kingdom on all soils?

Open

Please share your response to one of the following:

• What are three words that you hope people would use to describe you in ten years?
• What is something you enjoy doing? What makes it fun?

Study

Read Ecclesiastes 5:8-12 and discuss the following with your group:

• Why do you think there is a constant oppression of people in the world? In what ways is the “chain of command” a comfort? How can a king/leader be a good thing? (vv. 8-9)
• What would you say is meaningless in vv. 10-11-12?
• Why do you think we have so much trouble being content with what we have?
• Why is this especially true about money? Why do we want more and more?
• How can workers have “sweet sleep”? What keeps the wealthy from it?

Apply

• What applications can you make from the writer’s observations in 5:13-17?
• Where do you put the pursuit of wealth in your life?
  • At the Top
  • In the Middle
  • On the Bottom
  • Off the Chart
• Playing the “devil’s advocate,” defend the pursuit of wealth. How much is “enough”?
• Which of Jesus’ teachings helps you the most in regard to the issue of wealth and contentment? (example – Matthew 6:28-34)
• In your experience, how does contentment feel? What suggestions can you give to help the group achieve it? (see Philippians 4:12-13)

 Open

Share with the Group one or two of the following:

• If I could throw caution to the wind and really risk, I would. . . . .
• The comic character I would like to be like is. . . . .
• The most important decision of my life was/is. . . . .
• As a child, my favorite game was. . . . . .
• My favorite movie of all times is. . . . . .
• What makes me laugh is. . . . . .
• Today, I like to play by. . . . . . .
• I cry when . . . . . . . .

Study

Read Mark 10:35-45 and discuss the following with your group:

• What do you think motivated James and John to make this request?
• How do you think they saw the “kingdom”?
• If you had been James or John, how would you have felt about Jesus’ response?
• What were the cup, baptism, and glory Jesus spoke of?
• Why did the other disciples respond to James and John as they did?
• Jesus did not” waste the crisis.” What lesson does he teach? How does it go contrary to the norm?

Apply

• When have you seen a sacrificial spirit of service? A submissive spirit of service? How did you feel about that kind of person?
• What values has Jesus turned upside down in your life? How has it impacted your life?
• In following the example of Jesus, what is one way you can display a servant’s heart this week?