
LifeGroup Notes
BIG IDEA
Jesus continued to amaze and astonish people as he ministered to them. However, many still misunderstood who Jesus really was and what His purpose was. In fact, Jesus’ own brothers didn’t even understand. They encouraged Him to gain followers by using His miracles to garner attention and to move to a place of notoriety and power.
However, Jesus had not come for His own glory, rather to glorify God the Father. Even the apostle Paul reminds us that our faith cannot be based on the wisdom of man, but on the power of God.
Passages we’ll review:
John 7:1-18; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Galatians 6:14
OPEN
What jumped out at you from the message this week? What led you to really think or even better, to change your actions?
Think of a time when you have chosen to take a stand for something. What was your motivation for doing it? Would your choices be affected by the possible outcomes?
[WATCH THE VIDEO]
Make sure everyone can see the screen and the audio is at a comfortable level.
What jumped out at you from the video in this session? What are some of the key points that affected you more than others?
READ
Read John 7:1-13
Looking back to Sunday’s message, we see that even Jesus’ brothers did not yet understand that He was more than just their brother, but that He was the Son of God. They encouraged Him to go to Jerusalem for the Festival of Booths, or The Festival of Tabernacles, but Jesus declined.
Why did Jesus stay in Galilee instead of going with His brothers to Jerusalem?
Jesus later went to Jerusalem in secret. Many were looking for Him, debating if He was who He claimed to be or if He was a liar. As the festival went on, Jesus arrived on scene at the temple and began teaching those there. As we’ve seen before, many were in awe of His understanding and wisdom.
Read John 7:14-18
The religious leaders discredited Jesus’ teachings because He did not have the educational background and religious training that they did.
How did Jesus respond to their questioning of His credentials?
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.
Here, we see Paul following the example that Jesus set in the temple. Paul had been well educated as a Jewish scholar. Yet, in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul didn’t want to impress or gain fame, but to reveal the truth and power of God and bring glory to Him.
What was Paul’s sole purpose as He wrote to the Corinthians?
Paul warned us of allowing human wisdom to interfere with the Gospel message. Too often today, we see the truth of God’s word mixed in with man’s interpretation and understanding. Paul knew that the wisdom of man would only lead to a change in intellect and the mind, but the wisdom of God would lead us to the life-changing, life-giving power of God.
Read 2 Corinthians 4:7
Paul compares us to clay jars. We are fragile in comparison to God’s power and greatness. Yet, we have been chosen to do the work He has called us to do.
How does this affect how we should live our lives today?
Read Galatians 6:14
What did Paul say he would boast about?
We see in the lives of Jesus and Paul that we are to live our lives in a way that brings glory to God. What will you do differently in order to glorify Him with your life?
LET’S PRAY
We are reminded that no matter what we have accomplished or what merits we may have, everything pales in comparison to the Gospel message of Christ. Jesus’ perfect life here on eath revealed just how imperfect we actually are. By relying on our own wisdom and understanding, we can rob the Gospel message of it’s power. Pray that you would have a humble and receptive heart that seeks to honor and glorify God alone.
As you go through this week, remember that we are simply earthen vessels that carry the treasure of the Gospel. As we rely on Jesus Christ and His strength, we can have the boldness to present the Gospel message of salvation to those in need. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)