Are You Ready?

 

Study Guide for Week of December 5, 2021 

This Week Reading: Luke 3:1-18

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 Cornerstone  (or pick your own on YouTube make sure it has the lyrics on the screen)

D. Recap video for this study:         None this week                                                                       

         

E. Weekly Resources and Upcoming Events:     Crossroads Web Site        

F. 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?

G. Opening Question (a simple question to introduce the main theme - called an icebreaker): What does getting baptized mean?

H. Background Information for this study: 

John the Baptist had the role given him by God to prepare people for the coming of Jesus. His message was basically that the savior is coming and his call was for people to get their lives ready for the coming of the savior. 

John was 6 months older than Jesus. He came preaching about the forgiveness of sins and the necessity of changing your life. He would then baptize people who wanted to change their live. baptism was a sign that people were forgiven and changing their lives.

The word repentance literally means to turn around and go in a new direction.

As you go through these verses make them very practicle in the lives of people in the group - what will they do. 

I. Verse Outline: Some Key Points to Discuss - Key Findings

                  I. Part One: John the baptists message verses 1-6 - in this part break down the message and define key words

II.  Part Two: Lets get practicle verses 7-14

- In these verses focus on what needs to change in our lives. In verses 12-14 John mentions 4 areas of change.

         III. Part Three: - verses 15-20 - What Jesus will do when he comes - Here break down the differnt things Jesus will do - baptize with fire refers to judgment; baptize with the Holy Spirit means fill people with the Holy Spirit and power

                    J. Word: - read the scriptures above in portions - 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 jumps out at you - catches your attention?
5. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

K. 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 catches your attention in these verses?

2. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?
3. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story?
4. What do you learn about people from the story?

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

 
L. 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? 

M. Prayer Time:  Break up into smaller groups of 3-4 - groups of the same sex                                1. Pray for your group to multiply.

       2. Ask each other how you are doing spiritually               

       3.Pray for the needs of the members of the group. .

N. For Next time:                
1. Ask each person the name of a person they will invite to the group                                         for next week.