There is Hope for the Lost

 

Study Guide for Week of June 5, 2022 

This Week's Scripture:  Matthew 165:-28

Crossroads Community Group Guide

A. Welcome: Welcome everyone, especially new people, and read aloud 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: Come Now is the I Speak Jesus   (or pick your own YouTube video that shows the lyrics.)

D. Video Message                                                                   

       

E. Upcoming Events: Crossroads Website        

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 (an icebreaker - a simple question to introduce the main theme):

• Who do people say that Jesus is?

H. Background Information for this study: 

In this verses jesus is focusing himself on going to the cross to die for the sins of the world. He begins here to prepare his followers for what he is going to do. Make sure you ask your group what we learn about jesus from these verses and what we learn about ourslves from these verses. 

Lets look at 3 understandings about Jesus:   

Understanding One: Jesus Cries for Broken Lost People – Verses 5-16

Understanding Two: Jesus is Passionate about Building a Church that Cries for Broken Lost People - Verses 17-18

Understanding Three: Jesus Gives His Followers His Power to be the Hope Broken Lost People Need – Verse 19 - 28

I. Verse Outline: Key Points to Discuss

       1.   Understanding One: Jesus Cries for Broken Lost People – Verses 13-16

• Key Concept: Jesus’ heart is broken for lost people

• Key Verse: Luke 19:41-42 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 

• Community Group Application: We begin to understand Jesus’ heart when we gather in church on the Lord’s Day and in our community groups during the week.

2.  Understanding Two: Jesus is Passionate about Building a Church that Cries for Broken Lost People - Verses 17-18

• Key Concept: The local church is the hope of the world – Bill Hybels  

• Key Verse: Ephesians 2:20-22 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

• Community Group Application: The Church of Jesus meets weekly in a building as a large group and weekly in a smaller community group in a house, café or zoom.

3.       Understanding Three: Jesus Gives His Followers His Power to be the Hope Broken Lost People Need – Verse 19 -28

• Key Concept: A scared world needs a fearless church. AW Tozer

• Key Verse:  Luke 9:1-2 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

• Community Group Application: When the followers of Jesus gather where they are becomes a place of salvation, healing and deliverance

J. Word: Read the scriptures above. Read it in smaller portions aloud together several times. (The goal is for everyone to 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 and catches your attention?

5. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

K. Discuss the following general questions together. (The goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion. The leader should not speak for 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 specifically 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: Ask each person the name of someone they will invite to the group for next week.