Week 17: Wilderness & Preparation
Luke 3.1-20 | January 31, 2021
John had grown up, and had moved off into the wilderness – but not a wilderness filled with forests and mountains, but of barren deserts. There, in the desert, the word of God came to John. It was in the wilderness that John began to prepare the way.
As we continue in our series in the Luke’s Gospel, Alastair Sterne preaches from Luke 3.1-20. As he looks at John the Baptist’s ministry, he invites us to see how the wilderness fostered John’s ministry of preparation, and helps us see how God is at work preparing people for himself today.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: What’s something you’re preparing for?
- How did the desert and the Jordan River prepare people for John’s ministry?
- How does the Engel scale help make sense of your journey with Jesus?
- How do you feel about helping lead someone to faith?
Week 16: The Humanity of Jesus
Luke 2.6-7, 21, 40, 50-52 | January 24, 2021
Why does it matter that Jesus came as a human? Why did God need to come and walk among us? The fact that God became human is one of the most important beliefs in the Christian faith.
As we continue in our series in the Gospel of Luke, Lloyd Lee has us pause to consider the humanity of Jesus. Looking at Luke 2.6-7, 21, 40, 50-52, he invites us to consider the wonder of how, in the person of Jesus Christ, God became human, and he helps us to see how, in meeting us in our humanity, Jesus reveals what it means to be fully human, and saves us to live a fully human life.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: What’s a distinctively human thing to do?
- How do you feel about seeing theology as a map?
- What would have happened if Jesus wasn’t fully human?
- What are some parts of our humanity we might keep from Jesus?
- How does Jesus help you see the Father more clearly?
Week 15: Jesus’ One Thing
Luke 2.41-52 | January 17, 2021
If you could name the one thing that you are about, what would it be? As we continue in our series in Luke, Preston Gordon preaches from Luke 2.41-52, where we see Jesus, at the age of twelve, articulate his identity and purpose in one concise statement. By unpacking Jesus’ one thing, Preston helps us to help us to consider how we can live each day resting in God’s love.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: Have you ever been lost? What did you do?
- Why can’t we split the importance of being with God and doing the things of God?
- What are some things that keep you from loving the Father, and living in his love for you?
- How does baptism help us to love God and live in his love?
Week 14: Simeon & Anna
Luke 2.22-40 | January 10, 2021
They had been waiting all their lives for God to move. Worshiping in the temple day and night, Simeon and Anna had spent their entire lives waiting on the promises of God. And their waiting was not wasted or in vain.
As we continue in our series in Luke, Alastair Sterne explains how Jesus comes to reveal our hearts, and how a life spent waiting on the promises of God is never a wasted life.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: Do you have a funny story of a baby drawing your attention?
- How have you experienced our culture’s affable, amiable, apathetic agnosticism?
- Why should we care about what Jesus reveals in our hearts?
- What areas of your life is Jesus asking you to wait faithfully on him?
Week 13: Shepherds & Angels
Luke 2.1-21 | January 3, 2021
On a quiet night, when shepherds were fighting to stay awake as they watched over their sheep, their understanding and lived experience of reality seismically shifted when an angel appeared to them.
At the start of this new year, we return our series in the Gospel of Luke as Rob Collis preaches from Luke 2.1-21, and helps us to hear the good news of the angels.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: Were you ever involved with a Christmas performance as a child?
- How do you imagine the shepherds felt after the angels left?
- What’s the significance of Jesus coming as Saviour?
- How are you experiencing Jesus’ birth as good news in your own life?
Week 12: The Humble and Gentle God
Luke 2.1-7 | December 24, 2020
Roughly 2000 years ago, a town crier arrived in a small backwater town named Nazareth. An envoy of Rome, he unrolled his scroll and pronounced the decree of the Emperor – on that day, at the sound of those words, everyone’s life was put on hold.
This Christmas Eve, Alastair Sterne preaches from Luke 2.1-7, and shows us how the measures in place for our collective well-being during this pandemic can help us to experience and engage with the true story of how Jesus came into the world.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
There are no discussion questions for this week.
Week 11: Politics of the Kingdom
Luke 1.5; 2.1-5; 3.1-2 | November 22, 2020
The New Testament is politically surprising. Ancient political leaders wielded their power in messy and brutal ways as they sought to civilize the world, build cities, and even declare themselves gods. But Luke’s gospel makes it clear that this wasn’t how God chose to work in his world.
As we continue in our series in the Gospel of Luke, Alastair Sterne takes us on a tour of some of the ancient leaders in Jesus’ day, and invites us to think about them in light of Christ the King.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: What animal best describes your personality?
- What did you learn about political leaders in the Bible?
- How do you feel about how God was establishing his kingdom?
- What did you find difficult to hear in this sermon?
- How can we bow our knees to King Jesus?
Week 10: Zechariah’s Prophecy
Luke 1.67-80 | November 15, 2020
Zechariah hadn’t been able to speak for nine months – but suddenly his lips were opened and he could speak! Not having been able to speak for so long, what would he finally say?
As we continue in our series in Luke, Preston Gordon invites us to consider Zechariah’s words, and helps unpack the story which is giving him so much hope.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: What’s the longest you could go without speaking?
- What did you learn about the Old Testament?
- How do you imagine Zechariah would have felt when he realised God’s promises were being fulfilled?
- What is it like for God to shine his light into our darkness?
Week 9: His Name Is John
Luke 1.57-66 | November 8, 2020
It’s been nine months since Zechariah went into the temple. Now as Elizabeth gives birth to their son, it’s time to give him a name. The neighbours and family want to name him after his father, but Elizabeth wants to call him John. Everyone turns to Zechariah to see what he thinks – and how he responds amazes them all!
As we continue in our series in Luke, Lloyd Lee explores how we can open our hands to God in surrender to his love, and how God’s hands will never let us go.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: What’s something you can celebrate right now?
- What does “the hand of the Lord” mean?
- How do you determine who to trust?
- What is something God is inviting you to surrender to his love?
Week 8: Mary’s Song
Luke 1.46-56 | November 1, 2020
In response to the news of what God was getting ready to do, Mary burst into song! But the news she heard wasn’t normal news – so why would she burst into a song?
As we continue in our series in Luke, Alastair Sterne considers how Mary’s song shows us how she cultivated her faith, and invites us to sing with Mary.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: How do you feel about the song, Mary Did You Know?
- What do you think about the virgin birth?
- What does Mary’s song show us about how she cultivated her faith?
- How do you feel about singing with Mary?
Week 7: Elizabeth’s Greeting
Luke 1.39-56 | October 25, 2020
After her visit from Gabriel, Mary rushed to see Elizabeth. But before she could even take off her shoes and coat to tell her about what the angel said, Elizabeth burst into song! But how could Elizabeth already know that Mary is pregnant?
As we continue in our series in Luke, Lloyd Lee considers the work of the Holy Spirit, and invites us to see ourselves within the five-act drama of Scripture.
You can watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: What’s your favourite type of salad?
- How does the 5-act drama* of the Bible help orient you with God’s work in the world?
- What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
- How can you cultivate gratitude in your life?
*Creation, Fall, Israel, Christ, Church
Week 6: Mary’s Story
Luke 1.26-38 | October 18, 2020
Six months after Gabriel first appeared in the temple, God summoned him again for a very different assignment. This time, he was delivering a message to a young woman in a small town out in the countryside – and his news was unlike any other.
As we continue in our series in Luke, Preston Gordon invites us into the story of how Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, and the news he delivered to her about what God was about to do.
Watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: What’s the most memorable greeting you’ve ever received?
- Why was Mary troubled by Gabriel’s greeting?
- What promise did God give to Mary?
- How was Mary’s response different from Zechariah?
- What sort of news did Gabriel give to Mary?
Week 5: The Gospel For The Barren
Luke 1.5-25 | October 11, 2020
Luke’s gospel begins with Elizabeth: a woman who was stigmatized because she was barren. In the ancient world not having children was a sign of someone who God had overlooked. And is where Luke’s gospel starts. This is the gospel for the stigmatized, the barren, the supposedly overlooked.
As we continue in our series in Luke, Alastair Sterne considers how the Gospel speaks to those who are hurting, and feeling overlooked by God.
Watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: Would you walk the seawall in a leopard print sweater?
- Why would people have thought God had overlooked Zechariah and Elizabeth?
- How did Zechariah and Elizabeth each respond to barrenness?
- What is the good news for those who feel overlooked and barren?
Week 4: What Is Faithful Waiting?
Luke 1.5-25 | October 4, 2020
Zechariah had waited on God for his whole life. He had waited with his wife, Elizabeth, praying for a child. He had waited with all of Israel, praying for God to move. And after a lifetime of waiting, an angel appeared.
As we continue in our series in Luke, Lloyd Lee considers what it looks like for us to wait faithfully on God.
Watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: Would you have been able to wait in the marshmallow experiment?
- What’s the difference between active and passive waiting?
- How has God shown himself to be reliable?
- What has God promised us?
- What can help you to wait faithfully on God?
Week 3: What Is A Gospel?
Luke 1.1-4 | September 27, 2020
The four gospels in the New Testament are the primary source of information we have about who Jesus was and what he did. But what exactly is a gospel, and why can we trust it?
As we continue in our series going through the Gospel of Luke, Rob Collis considers the nature of Luke’s Gospel, the claim that Luke “carefully investigated everything from the beginning,” and why we can trust his account about Jesus.
Watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion Questions
- Icebreaker: Who is someone who has inspired you by their life and story?
- What did you learn about Luke’s Gospel?
- What are some of the reasons why Luke’s Gospel is trustworthy?
- What is the relationship between evidence and faith?
Week 2: Who Is Theophilus?
Luke 1.1-4 | September 20, 2020
Luke’s Gospel is addressed to Theophilus. Who was he? And why did he ask Luke to write him a whole gospel?
As we continue in our new series going through the Luke’s Gospel, Alastair Sterne considers what we know about Theophilus, and how his desire to explore the claims about Jesus can inform how we live today.
Watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion questions
- Icebreaker: What’s the story behind your name?
- What did you learn about Theophilus?
- What has your journey towards truth looked like thus far?
- What kind of certainty does the Gospel of Luke offer us?
- How can you grow as a lover of God?
Week 1: Who Is Luke?
Luke 1.1-4 | September 13, 2020
Luke wrote 25% of the New Testament! But who was Luke?
As we launch our new series going through Luke’s Gospel, Alastair Sterne considers the details of Luke’s life, and why the Gospel of Luke is exactly what we need at a time like this.
Watch the sermon on YouTube, or listen on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Discussion questions
- What did you learn about Luke as an author?
- What did you learn about the book of Luke?
- What is the difference between a small view of salvation and a big view?
- What does a kingdom imagination look like for the issues we face?
