Hope for Today's Mothers

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Study Guide for the Week of  May 9, 2021

This Week Reading: Matthew 15:21-28

Crossroads Community Group Guide:
A. Welcome: Welcome everyone especially new persons and read out loud the purpose of your group
B. Purpose: Our purpose is to spread the Kingdom of God. We do this by multiplying groups of people who care for each as God's family. We begin by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and spread God's kingdom.

C. Worship Time: Spend a few minutes singing a worship song. Here is one you may want to use Our Father   (or pick your own on YouTube make sure it has the lyrics on the screen)

D. Announcements

1. Weekly Resources on Crossroads Facebook Page    

        Monday: Listening Room Resources for the week

        Children's resource each week  

2. Daily Devotional Video: The Encouraging Word with Pastor Willie

3. Announcements and Events:  Crossroads Web Site

4. Watch the Sunday service here Sunday 11:45am

E. Review   

1. How did you do with what you wanted to apply from last week?
2. Who did you invite to the group for this week?

F. Opening Question (a simple question to introduce the main theme - called an icebreaker): What one word or phrase would describe your mother and why?

G. Read Background Information: 

As we study and learn from the Bible many times it helps if we know the background of the incident. In these verses there area few items of background information that can help us understand. First, the region of Tyre and Sidon was outside of the boundaries of the Jewish area. the people there were not Jewish and were not accepted by the Jewish religious people. The woman was a Canaanite women. that is important for 2 reasons. First as a women she was not considered equal to men and it was not accepted for her to approach a Jewish teacher as she did. secondly, the Canaanites were the ancient enemies of the Jewish people. Finally, her calling Jesus "Son of David" indicates she believed Jesus was the messiah or savior since that was the term used to indicate the coming savior. She humbles herself and asks for mercy. She is a great example of a person of persistent faith. 

Verse Outline:

      I.            One: Amazing Transformation   

• Faith pushes you to persevere no matter what others say.
• She was used by God for the world to see that there is hope for anyone who needs God's mercy.
• Jesus wants us to see that through your misery your situation can change, if you seek God with persistent heart.

      I.           Two: A Mother's Love

1. She had love, she made the misery of her child her own.
2. In her heart there was that love for her child which is always the reflection of God's love for his children
3. It was love that make her to approach this stranger (Jesus).
4. It was because of her love that she accepted the rejection from the disciples

Three: A Mother's Love Part 2

5. It was because of her love that she ignores his silence

6. It was love which made her able to see the compassion beyond and behind the words of Jesus

7. The driving force of this mother's heart was love and there is nothing stronger and nothing nearer God than that very thing. 

Four: The Woman Grew in Faith

• Faith pushes you to persevere no matter what others say.
• She was used by God for the world to see that there is hope for anyone who needs God's mercy.
• Jesus wants us to see that through your misery your situation can change, if you seek God with persistent heart.

     II. H. Word: Matthew 15:21-28  - break it down into smaller portions to read. Read it in portions aloud together several times. (Goal is that everyone understand the Bible story or verses by retelling them in their own words - keep at it until everyone knows the story or verses)

1. What key (important) words do you see in these verses?
2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.
3. What are the details?
4. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

I. Discuss the following general questions together (Goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion - the leader should not speak more than 30% of the time - let the group discover what God is saying to them).
1. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?
2. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story?
3. What do you learn about people from the story?

4. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?

 
J. Commitment - Obedience - Application  (This is the key - have everyone answer this question): 
1. What in specific will you commit to apply in your life from this study? 

K. Prayer Time:                
1. Pray for an empty chair representing new people who you want to join your group. Name names of people specifically.                
2. Pray for the needs of the members of the group. It is best to divide into 2 groups one of male and the other female.
L. For Next time:                
1. Ask each person the name of a person they will invite to the group                                         for next week.