Week of January 29, 2012

1. Read Mark 1:21-28.
2. Besides the "new St. Andrew's", what is the most amazing and moving church you've ever been in? What made it so?
3. Father Mike's sermon stressed the importance of having a building. How important is it, in your point of view? Would St. Andrew's have been OK had we never built?
4. How do you think the building can be used by the Lord as a tool to reach our mission field?
5. What impact do you think it will have on the way we attract and maintain new members? What impact will it have on our current congregation?
6. Can you think of ways that having a building will improve your relationship with the Lord? How so?
7. Note how the demon possessed man was in the synagogue. Do you think that people feel like they need to "fix themselves" before they can come to church? Have you felt that way? What can we do as a church community to make it easier for people to come in?
8. What miracles would you like to see the Lord perform in our new building? For others? For you?
9. Pray for one another...

Epiphany 2 - Small Group Questions

If you were not with us on Sunday you can listen to this sermon here.

Jn 1:43-51
1. Share with the group a time when you made a quick judgment about someone or something and then came to change it. What do you think caused you to jump to your first conclusion?
2. How easy (or difficult) is it for you to believe based on someone's words or testimony? To what extent are you someone who needs to see it for yourself? experience it for yourself?
3. Do you think your faith would be stronger if you could see Jesus 'in the flesh?'
4. Why do you suppose it would be easier to follow a physical Jesus? How might you take that 'thing' and make it more present in your relationship with Jesus now?
5. What do you imagine would be harder about following Jesus 'then;' ie: 'in the flesh?'
6. Mtr. Mary noted that believing in Jesus means seeing with the eyes of faith. How well are you doing at seeing with the eyes of faith? To what extent do you still see with the eyes of the world?
7. Does your life reflect the belief that Jesus is just as present today as he was 2,000 years ago? How might you witness to this more?

Week of January 9, 2012

1. Read Mark 1:4-12.
2. Can you think of a time when you were "baptized", or initiated, into a line of work, a vocation, or a role in life? What happened? What effect did it have on you?
3. Why is John the Baptist so important to the Jesus story? How would describe John by his dress, diet and message in modern terms? Why was he so popular among the masses?
4. Why did Jesus go to John, and Old Testament prophet, to be baptized?
5. What is significant about the dove and the voice from heaven?
6. Do you have something in your life that you need the Holy Spirit's help with? What is it that you know you can't do alone?
7. What do you think of the Father's words of affirmation to Jesus? Do you think the Father feels that way about you? Why or why not?
8. Pray for one another....

Week of January 2, 2012

1. Read Luke 2:21-40.
2. When you were growing up, what teacher, coach or relative made you feel special? How did that person make you feel so good?
3. Who helps you feel special now?
4. Why is Jesus presented in the temple at this time: Circumcision? Christening? Purification? Dedication? What Mosaic laws are hereby fulfilled (see Leviticus 12:1-8, Exodus 13:2, 1,2 13; Numbers 18:15, 16)?
5. Why the name Jesus?
6. What does this temple ceremony reveal about the parents of Jesus: They were very poor? Religious? Proud? Dedicated? Fearful of their salvation?
7. How could Simeon possibly know this baby Jesus was the long promised Messiah (v. 25-28)? In Simeon's prophecies (v. 29-32, 34-35) what was he predicting about the work of Jesus? The fate of the nations? The pain of the parents?
8. Of whom does Anna remind you? How does she compliment Simeon's prophecy?
9. What impact would these startling predictions by Simeon and Anna have on "all" who were listening that day? On the parents of Jesus as they returned home (v. 33, 39)? On Jesus as He grew up (v. 40)?
10. How did your parents dedicate you to the Lord, if at all? How do you feel about the fact that you were or weren't dedicated? How did your parents help you mature spiritually?
11. When has God brought along someone to confirm something in your life, like Simeon and Anna did for the parents of Jesus? How did this make you feel?
12. Pray for one another.