Announcements
- Daddy Play Date– This coming Saturday- July 27 @ 10am dads, men, and kids of The Well are going to go to beltway coffee together to hang out, drink some coffee and eat some chick-fil-A!
- GC Summer Break– Our Gospel Community Groups will all be taking time off from July 28 to August 31
- Baby Dedication– We will be having a baby dedication on Sunday, August 11 during both morning services- 9:30 and 11:00am. We love taking time as a church to celebrate and receive the new children of our families at The Well! If you have a little one to dedicate, you can fill out the form online or email natalie@thewellabilene.com
Objectives
- To identify how the people in your group experience and witness opposition to the gospel.
- To confess belief in the worthiness of suffering for the name and mission of Christ.
- To pray for one another- that faith in the worthiness of the Gospel would increase.
Key Passages
Matthew 10:16-25
Summary
Last week we saw in Matthew 9:37-10:15 how Jesus commissioned his disciples to begin their short-term mission-trip to spread the gospel to all of the Israelites. In Matthew 10:16-25, Jesus also prepares the Israelites for what their long-term ministry will look like when they eventually take the gospel to the Gentiles as well. In this preparation for their future world-wide ministry, Jesus thoroughly warns them of the inevitable persecution that they will face on account of his name. However, Jesus also encourages them that the very “Spirit of your Father” will provide them with the words to proclaim the gospel even under this persecution (vs.20). Jesus also foreshadows that their fleeing from persecution will actually spread the Gospel further (vs. 23).
Sample Questions
Feel free to use or reword the questions below that you think will be most helpful to meet the objectives above. Remember, these questions should ultimately cultivate discussion of ways to respond to or apply what the Holy Spirit has revealed to us through Scripture.
- What implications of the gospel do you find that the people you know tend to take most offense in?
- Jesus uses this metaphor to describe his disciples as they are sent out on mission- for they will be like sheep sent out in the midst of wolves. How does the vulnerability of the sheep in this metaphor ring true in your life as a disciple on mission in a world that often opposes the gospel?
- How is God calling you to engage in the world around you and its temptations in a way that is as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove?
- How is God calling you to act in innocence like a dove? How do you daily respond to evil with righteousness instead of returning evil for evil?
- How does the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in the situations that we don’t know how to navigate comfort you? How is God calling you to trust the work of His Spirit even more in those situations?
- Whenever you are betrayed by those who love you most, how is your hope in Christ worth such suffering?
- Do you really believe that there are blessings in Christ, even if it brings with it suffering and pain?
- Do you really believe that the blessings to be found in Christ are greater than the blessings to be found in our comforts and acceptance of those who oppose the gospel?
- What does Jesus’ suffering mean for your own suffering?
Sample Response
Either in smaller groups or as a whole GC:
- Discuss with your group what it means for the ministry of Christ to be worthy of such persecution. Take time to pray for each person in your GC- that the Spirit would give them faith that the blessings to be found in Christ are FAR GREATER than the blessings to be found in their comforts and acceptance of those who oppose the gospel. Pray that this faith ould transform their daily mission.