There is Hope in the Lord's House

 

Study Guide for Week of June 12, 2022 

This Week's Scripture:  Matthew 21:12-17

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 Will Follow  (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):

• What is one big prayer that God has answered in your life?

H. Background Information for this study: 

This is the last week of Jesus life. It is Monday and the first thing Jesus does is He goes into the Temple. This is His priority. He calls it His house. Jesus finds His house corrupted by the religious authorities. They are using the Temple as a place to make business..

Animal sacrificies were required at that time (this was before the crucifixtion of Jesus). They would sell animals to people at exhorbitant prices and make money. They also exchanged money at exhorbitant rates. The people's donations had to be in the temple money - temple shekel. If they came with Roman coins, these coins would have to be exchanged and they charged a high commission to do that. 

The blind and lame were excluded from the temple since they were seen as sinful and impure. 

As you follow Jesus in thee verse always ask how can I apply this to my church, my family and my life. 

The temple represents our church and our home and our lives. What would jesus do if He came to your church, your home, your life? What would he wnt changed?

Ask: 

What does it look like for a church to be a house of prayer?

What does it look like for a home to be a house of prayer?

What does it look like for a person to be a person of prayer? 

Lets follow three movements of Jesus:   

Movement One: Jesus goes to the church (the temple) – verse 12 
Movement Two:  Jesus demonstrates what he demands of His church. – verse 13-15 
Movement Three:  Jesus leaves the church – verse 16 - 17  

I. Verse Outline: Key Points to Discuss

       1.   Movement One: Jesus goes to the church (the temple) – verse 12 

• Key Concept: Only turning God’s house into a house of fervent prayer will reverse the power of evil so evident in the world today. Pastor Jim Cymbala  

• Key Verse: 1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 

• Community Group Application: We remind ourselves that our church, our community groups and our homes are Jesus' church, community groups and homes and we are ready for His visit anytime  

2.  Movement Two:  Jesus demonstrates what he demands of His church. – verse 13-15 

Key Concept: Once a Church becomes a house of prayer healing and deliverance and praise breaks out.  

• Key Verse: 1 Kings 8:29-30 May you watch over this Temple night and day, this place where you have said, ‘My name will be there.’ May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place. 30 May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive. 

• Community Group Application: Evaluate yourself what is your reputation on your job in your neighborhood – are you a signpost for Jesus?

3.       Movement Three:  Jesus leaves the church – verse 16 - 17 

• Key Concept: The Church is the Church only when it exists for others – Dietrich Bonhoeffer    

• Key Verse: John 12:20-21 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”  

• Community Group Application: We are the pleasing aroma of Christ to broken and lost people and families.

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.