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

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Prayer

Introduction:

Knowing His Prayer: What Jesus Wants for His Disciples (John 17:1-19):

  1. He wants you to be Authentic . (John 17:6-7)
  1. He wants you to be Protected . (John 17:11-16)
  2. He wants you to be Used . (John 17:17-19)

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Small Group Discussion
Read John 17:1-19

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

  2. Why do you think many Christians' prayer list is mainly for physical illnesses? Why don't many Christians pray for spiritual / Kingdom matters?

  3. Why ISN'T Jesus praying for the world (John 17:9)? Why is Jesus' prayer focused on disciples? What does this say about how we should pray?

  4. Since Jesus prayed for protection for us, why do so many disciples experience hardships? What exactly was Jesus praying for when He asked the Father to “keep us” (John 17:11)?

Breakout
Pray for the 3 things Jesus prayed for disciples: that we would be authentic, protected, and used by God.

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Victory

Introduction:

Acts 1:3 - He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Life in Christ is Faith-Based Not Performance-Based (John 16:25-33):

  1. Answered Prayers : Faith-based, not performance-based. (John 16:26-27)
  2. God's Love for you: Faith-based, not performance-based. (John 16:27)
  3. Peace : Faith-based, not performance-based. (John 16:33)

    1 John 5:4-5 - For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

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Small Group Discussion
Read John 16:25-33

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

  2. Why did Jesus, in the midst of all these promises, tell the disciples that they would scatter and abandon Him? (John 16:32)

  3. Why do so many Christians think that prayer, God's love, and peace are all performance-based things with God? What does Jesus say about that?

  4. Have you ever been reluctant to pray because you were struggling with a sin of some kind? How did you get out of that rut?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Joy

Introduction:

Why Do I Lose Sight of My Joy in Christ? (John 16:16-24)

  1. Because of my Ignorance . (John 16:16-18)

    Proverbs 13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick...

  1. Because I'm not looking at the Big Picture . (John 16:19-22)

    Hebrews 12:2 - looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

  2. Because I'm not Praying (John 16:23-24)

    Philippians 4:6 - do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

    Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read John 16:16-24

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

  2. Tell of a time you personally experienced Jesus turning your sorrow to joy: a circumstance that looked bad at the time but ended up being a blessing.

  3. How exactly is having “full joy” connected to prayer (John 16:23-24)?

  4. How would you respond to someone who says, “Jesus turns suffering in joy?! There is no way I can have joy as a result of this situation I am going through.”?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Strategy

Introduction:

Jesus' Mission Strategy: Holy Spirit-Filled People Convicting the World By God's Authoritative Word. (John 16:4-15):

  1. Holy Spirit-filled People ... (John 16:7)
  1. ...convicting the World ... (John 16:8-11)

    John 7:7 - The world… hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

    • Sin (John 16:9)
    • Righteousness (John 16:10)
    • Judgment (John 16:11)

    Peter's Pentecost sermon (Acts 2) had all 3 elements:

    [Sin] Acts 2:23 - this Jesus... you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

    [Righteousness] Acts 2:33 - Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit...

    [Judgment] Acts 2:34-35 - For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, "'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."'

  2. ... by God's authoritative Word . (John 16:12-15)

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
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Small Group Discussion
Read John 16:4-15

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

  2. What's the craziest gimmick you've heard a church attempt in order to draw people in?

  3. Explain how the content of the Gospel can be summed up in Jesus' three words: sin, righteousness, judgment (John 16:8-11).

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Knowing Jesus - Knowing His Persecution

Introduction:

Phil 3:10 - that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings

Hated for Jesus (John 15:18-6:4):
The Reality: Why Will the World Hate You? :

  1. Because you're Not Like the world. (John 15:18-19)

    1 John 3:12 - We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous

    See: Prov 29:27

  1. Because the world hates Jesus. (John 15:20ab)

    See: John 13:10

  2. Because the world hates being called out for their Sin . (John 15:20c-25)

    See: Psalm 69:4

    John 7:7 - The world… hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

The Response: What Do You Do About It?

  1. Power up. (John 15:26-27)
  2. Prepare yourself. (John 16:1)

    Matt 10:16 - Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

    1 Pet 4:12 - Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

  3. Persevere . (John 16:2-4)

    See: 2 Tim 3:12

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Discussion
Read John 15:18-16:4

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

  2. Tell of a time you were hated because of your faith, faced persecution on any level. How did you react?

  3. Why exactly was Jesus so hated by so many? See John 7:7. How does this cause the world to hate us?

  4. If persecution is a reality, is it wrong to flee from it? Or is enduring it always the right thing to do? Defend your position!

  5. How exactly does the Holy Spirit empower your witnessing (John 15:26-27)?

Breakout
Pray for one another.