WEEKLY DISCUSSION GUIDE
1. Welcome and introduce newcomers to your small group.
2. Open with a prayer for God’s guidance and presence.
3. Ask everyone if they heard Sunday’s message.
Sept. 24, 2023
LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR OWN DEAD
Pastor Rick Huff-Study Guide
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62 NIV
Jesus said that? Really?
The point of this encounter is to reveal the nature of the Kingdom of God, its blessings and the cost.
He calls us to courage, unconditional commitment, and prioritized focus.
The phrase let the dead bury their own dead is a warning that anything you put above the kingdom will bring death.
The cost of the kingdom is everything but it is worth it.
What is the kingdom?
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 NIV
God’s reign is comprehensive, over all, but the kingdom of God is a term for his redemptive, restorative and transformative work. It is within us now and it is still coming.
The kingdom gives us 3 gifts that cannot be found anywhere else in the world:
· A genuine connection with God.
· Peace that passes understanding.
· Unspeakable joy.
Our focus today is Joy in the Holy Spirit.
Joy is the essence of faith
So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22 NIV
Joy overlaps with sorrow
20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. John 16:20 NIV
Joy is produced by Christ
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11 NIV
Joy empowers us to step forward
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 NIV
Joy comes when we seek the blesser not the blessing
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. John 3:29 NIV
