#26. Wise & Foolish Builders

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”Group Questions1. How did the sermon challenge you this week? 2. What is Jesus doing in your life right now? 3. How hard are you fighting to get near to Jesus? 4. Who are those people in your life who have carried you to Jesus? 5. What is a miracle that you need in your life right now? 6. What would happen if Jesus accomplished that miracle? 7. Who will you teach this story to? How did it go teaching the story from last week?Family QuestionsElementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.Group Questions 1. How do you pursue a deeper relationship with God? What has worked for you?2. What is Jesus teaching you about prayer here?3. How do you view God when you pray?4. How do you wish you were treated each day? 5. What is the narrow gate?6. What excuses do you use to avoid doing good to others?7. How are you planning to follow Jesus this week?Family Questions Elementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.Group Questions 1. What is a "measure?" 2. What is the big thing that Jesus is teaching you in this passage? 3. What challenges you? 4. Describe your worst relationship. 5. What if your worst relationship is a reflection of your current relationship with God? 6. According to Jesus what is your biggest obstacle to helping someone else? 7. How do we “remove” condemnation from our lives while retaining our discernment? Family Questions Elementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

John 6:5-215 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii[a] worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.Jesus Walks on Water16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.1. How did the sermon challenge you this week? 2. Why does Jesus ask Phillip about feeding the crowd? 3. What can you learn from the methods Jesus uses in this story? 4. What challenges you? 5. Why does Jesus withdraw? 6. What is Jesus teaching his disciples in this story? 7. Who will you teach this story to? How did it go teaching the story from last week? 8. What could we be praying for?Family QuestionsElementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.Group Questions1. How did the sermon challenge you this week? 2. What is Jesus doing in your life right now? 3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage? 4. What challenges you? 5. According to this example what places limits on Jesus? 6. How do you battle familiarity with Jesus sapping away your faith? 7. What helps you keep an intimate relationship with Jesus?Family QuestionsElementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

1 One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4 But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5 And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6 And they could not reply to these things.GROUP QUESTIONS 1. What did Jesus teach you during the sermon this week? 2. What is Jesus doing in your life right now? 3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage? 4. What do you do in private that you would never do in public? 5. How can good intentions get in the way of doing the right thing? 6. Who will you teach this story to? How did it go teaching the story from last week?FAMILY QUESTIONS Elementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”Group Questions 1. What did Jesus teach you this week? 2. What is the contrast between the Pharisee and the immoral woman? 3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage? 4. According to this story how do you become a more loving person? 5. How are you planning to follow Jesus this week? Family QuestionsElementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”Group Questions1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?2. What are the 3 things that people reference in vs 22?3. How could people do these things without knowing God or following God’s laws?4. What does it take to be “known” by God?6. What challenges you in this passage?7. What is the difference between belief and obedience?8. How do I build my foundation on the rock?Family QuestionsElementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”Jesus Foretells His Death21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”Group Questions1. How did the sermon challenge you this week?2. Who is Jesus to you?3. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage?4. Who do people say that YOU are?5. How do you describe Jesus to your friends? 6. How do you share Jesus with others?7. What could we be praying for?Family QuestionsElementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?

Mark 6:21-2921 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's[a] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.Group Questions 1. How did the sermon challenge you this week? 2. What can we learn about people in this story? 3. What did you learn about Jesus? 4. What is Jesus teaching you in this passage? 5. What challenges you? 6. How are you planning to follow Jesus this week? 7. Who will you teach this story to? How did it go teaching the story from last week? 8. What could we be praying for?Family QuestionsElementary (what?) • What happened?• What did you learn about God? Middle School (why?) • Why is Jesus teaching this?• Why does this matter? High School (how?) • How does this apply to me?• How would this look in my life?