Week of February 27, 2011

1. Read Matthew 6:24-34.
2. Are you a natural worrier? Do you worry more about some things than others? What causes you the most worry?
3. What gives you the greatest security?
4. How does your perspective about money and material possessions (v. 24) affect your attitude toward life (v. 25-27)?
5. What does God's care for the birds and lillies teach you? How does God release us from materialistic preoccupations?
6. How does work ethic fir into this passage? How does faith fit in?
7. What do the following mean to you: "do not worry about your life"? "Seek first His kingdom"? and "do not worry about tomorrow"?
8. How can you better live into this passage?
9. Pray for one another.

Week of February 20, 2011

1. Read Matthew 6:38-42.
2. When you were a child, what fights did you get into?
3. What was the original intent of "eye for eye" and "tooth for tooth"?
4. What was Jesus' intent in saying "Do not resist an evil person"? Do you think Jesus was exaggerating here (like in 5:29-30)? Why or why not?
5. How does this teaching best apply to your life right now?
6. Read Matthew 6:43-48.
7. As a child, who was your "Public Enemy Number 1"? Why? Is there someone that you find difficult to love today? Why?
8. Reading this passage, what does love involve: prayer? action? unconditional positive regard? perfect grace from God?
9. Do you feel like you need freedom from bitterness and retaliation? How does this teaching help you, or is it overwhelming?

Week of February 13, 2010

1. Read Matthew 5:21-37.
2. Can you think of something that you thought about yourself that wasn't true? How did you get this false idea about yourself? How did you discover was wrong? Do you no longer feel this way or does the feeling linger?
3. Father Mike talked about how the Sermon on the Mount gives us a window into the Kingdom of God. How differently do you think Jesus sees the world than you do? In what areas do you think there might be the biggest gap?
4. What part of our reading today is the biggest challenge for you? Why?
5. Father Mike talked about finding the "root cause" that produces bad results. Share with the group a bad result you are experiencing now and what the root cause might be.
6. Jesus doesn't give us these directives to leave us alone. He will send the Holy Spirit to help you! Can you think of a time when God helped you resist a temptation to sin? What happened?
7. We heard a challenge to "engage in thinking discipleship". The Holy Spirit will help you "feel, think, act" instead of "feel, act, think". What are some ways you can better think before you act?
8. How can your group support you in what we've discussed today?
9. Pray for one another....

Epiphany V - Small Group Questions

If you were unable to be with us on Sunday you can listen to this sermon here.

Mt 5:13-20
1. Discuss 'salt' and 'light.' How do you think of them? What are their positive attributes? What is there about them that we need be careful of? What would it be like without them?
2. Jesus tells those of us who are following him that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It is not something we have to work our way up to - we are there. Do you see yourself as salt and light? Reflect on ways that you are being salt and light that you might not have been 'giving yourself credit for.' Share these with one another.
3. Mtr. Mary warned us that often the world would rather we be bland and dim. Can you think of a time or situation when you felt like you were being pressured to be bland and dim? Can you think of a time or situation where you tried to keep others bland and dim? What do you think was the motivation behind this?
4. We discussed that our call is not to change the world but to witness to the world. How might that free you to be salt and light without becoming attached to results?
5. Reflect on someone who provided a witness for you to living a life in Christ. Do you think they know/knew the impact they had on your faith walk? Can you think of how you might be that witness for someone today?