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

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?

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 discuss one of the following with your Group:

• Where were you when you heard the news of 9.11.01?
• What would you say was your most daring adventure?
• When you are afraid, where do you go?

Study

Please read Matthew 14.22-33 and discuss the following:

1. Why do you think Jesus chose to walk on the water to the disciples (rather than choosing another way)?
2. If you had been in the boat with the disciples and seen someone walking on water, what would you have said?
3. How do you think Jesus’ words calmed the disciples?
4. What do Peter’s actions tell you about him?
5. Why did Jesus allow Peter to sink before rescuing him?
6. What do you think the disciples have concluded about Jesus as a result of this experience?

Apply

• In what ways do you think Jesus is inviting us/you to “get out of the boat”?
• When have you felt like you were sinking? How did Jesus save you?
• When it comes to taking risks, how would you assess yourself?
• Which of the following 911 scriptures is most significant to you? Why?

Psalm 9.11

Ecclesiastes 9.11

John 9.11

Nehemiah 9.11

Psalm 91.1