Benjamin Murphy
Small Group Questions
Benjamin Murphy
Sermon Series Highlights
Sermon Series Highlights

Knowing Jesus

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Authority

Introduction:

Four Things Jesus Taught That You Absolutely Have to Get Right (John 12:44-50):

  1. He is the Only way to God. (John 12:44-45)
  1. He Changes you. (John 12:46)

    Ephesians 4:18 - They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

  2. His Word will Judge you. (John 12:47-48)

    Ephesians 8:11 - Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.

  3. He's giving a Command . (John 12:49-50)
    • Divine Appeal
    • Practical Appeal
    • Fear Appeal
    • Authority Appeal
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Small Group Discussion
Read John 12:44-50

  1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

  2. Why did Jesus repeatedly emphasize that He did not speak on His own initiative, but only spoke what the Father commanded (John 12:49-50)? What was He getting at by saying this?

  3. How does Jesus being the light change you, specifically (John 12:46)?

  4. We often speak of “sharing Jesus” or “inviting people to be saved”, but rarely do we think or speak of the Gospel as a command (John 12:49-50). Why do you think that is? How is the Gospel a command?

  5. This passage gave 4 appeals: the Divine Appeal, the Practical Appeal, the Fear Appeal, and the Authority Appeal. Which one gets your attention the most? Which one brought you to Christ? Which one(s) do you think the church overuses? Under-uses?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Fulfillment

Introduction:

3 Reasons You Have to Receive Jesus Today (John 12:36-43):

  1. Because you may not be able to Tomorrow . (John 12:37,40)

    Why Would God Harden a Person's Heart?

    1. God gives us what we want
    2. Because it is merciful
  1. Because Healing is available right now. (John 12:40)
  2. Because you are building your spiritual Reputation right now. (John 12:42-43)

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Small Group Discussion
Read John 12:36-43

  1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

  2. When thinking about “how salvation works”, do you lean more towards “God's sovereignty” or “man's responsibility”? Why?

  3. Should we give up on someone who has rejected the Gospel? Is there ever a right time to assume they are “blinded and hard hearted” beyond hope? Or do we keep appealing to them to believe in Jesus?

  4. The authorities in John 12:42-43, do you believe they were truly saved or not? Why?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Purpose

Introduction:

Three Things Jesus Accomplished on the Cross that Glorify God (John 12:27-36):

  1. The world was Judged . (John 12:31a)

    Acts 17:31 - "because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

  1. Satan was Defeated . (John 12:31b)
  2. Salvation was Purchased . (John 12:32-33)

What Keeps People From Believing? (John 12:34-36):

  1. They think they already know all the Answers . (John 12:34)
  2. They are not aware of their Condition . (John 12:35b)
  3. They have no sense of Urgency . (John 12:36)
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Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read John 12:27-36

  1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

  2. Jesus said in John 12:31, “Now is the judgment of this world…” What exactly does that mean? How is the cross “judgment of this world”?

  3. Let's get practical. Think of those you want to reach with the Gospel, and be specific on these answers:

    • How can you show someone that they don't understand God's Word like they think they do (John 12:34)?

    • How can you help someone see their true condition (John 12:35)?

    • How can you help someone have a sense of urgency (John 12:36)?

Breakout
Pray for someone, by name, that you know who needs to know Jesus. Pray for one another to have the opportunity to minister the Gospel to that person.

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Call

Introduction:

A Sales Pitch to Die (John 12:20-26):

  1. Theological Reason: Because Jesus says it's the path to Glory . (John 12 12:24)
  2. Practical Reason: You find life through your Death . (John 12 12:25)

    Matthew 10:39 - Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

  1. Motivational Reason: God will Honor you. (John 12 12:26)

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Small Group Discussion
Read John 12:20-26

  1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

  2. Explain the connection between John 12:24 and 25. Why did Jesus go from “His death” to the “call to discipleship to hate your life in this world”? What's the connection?

  3. Confession time: in what area do you need to “die to yourself / hate your life” (John 12:25)?

  4. What does it mean that “the Father will honor you” (John 12:26)? What does that look like?

Breakout
Pray for one another to die to self – daily carrying your cross.

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Triumph

Introduction:

Daniel 9

Luke 19:41-44 - And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

Two Reasons People Turn Against Jesus (John 12:12-19):

  1. Jesus isn't Offering what you want. (Luke 19:42)
  2. Jesus is offering what you Don't Want . (Luke 19:44)

    3. The time of your visitation...

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Small Group Discussion
Read John 12:12-19

  1. What was your big “take-away” from this passage / message?

  2. What was Jesus’ purpose for the “Triumphal Entry”?

  3. Why did this crowd go from cheering “HOSANNA” here to shouting “CRUCIFY HIM” a few days later?

  4. What wrong expectations do people have of Jesus today? Where do those wrong expectations come from?

  5. Read Luke 19:41-44. Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem? What does this say about how Jesus must feel today about those who don’t understand who He is or why He came?

Breakout
Pray for one another.