Welcome to this week's Group Study! This winter we're doing an 8-week block starting January 17 running through the week of March 7.
Start your time with a Check-in (about 15 minutes)
inductive bible study (30-40 minutes)
Open your Bibles and begin with a prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help you read God's word. Read the passage out loud once together and then silently once more on your own, noting your observations and questions. Then take a few minutes to share your observations and questions together.
Key Scripture: Luke 10:1-9 and 10:17-21
10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you.9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
Take some time to answer a key question you've raised as a group and think through how the issues you've explored apply to your lives.
Take a moment to watch this video from the bible project:
DISCUSSION (about 20 minutes):
Take some time to discuss the following questions as a group:
- What is a disciple?
- What do we learn from this passage about what it means to be disciples of Jesus? What are disciples to do? Who are they to be?
- Why do you think Jesus tells his disciples to tell people that, "The kingdom of God has come near to you," (Luke 10:8) as they go ahead of Jesus into the nearby towns?
- Where does listening to Jesus fit into your experience of discipleship?
- Discuss some of the ways we can listen to Jesus in our daily lives.
Close with a time of prayer.
Practice praying for one another and whatever needs or praises you'd like to bring to Jesus.
Begin by asking God to show you how to pray and then pray according to how He leads you.
