| The sermon this weekend, December 26th / 27th will be on Luke 13: 22-30. The reading assignment in Luke for Everyone can be found on pages 167-170. The questions below are to be used for your small group meeting that relates to this sermon.
1. How is God changing your life?
2. In a world that presents so many different beliefs and ideologies, what has drawn you personally to the person of Jesus? What did you like to collect as a child? Now?
OBSERVE
In this passage we see Jesus moving through the villages toward Jerusalem in anticipation of his death on the cross. And in the midst of his teaching, Jesus is confronted with the question of whether only a few people would be saved. His response challenges us to look carefully at what it means for us to enter into the Salvation Jesus brought us!
3. As we hear the question being asked in verse 23, it’s not clear whether it was motivated by mere curiosity or a deeper concern. When you think about the question of who will or will not be saved, are there specific people in your life that come to mind?
4. Notice in verses 24 to 30 that as Jesus responds to the question he doesn’t answer it directly. Instead, he takes the opportunity to push his listener to “Make every effort to enter though the narrow door.” What exactly is this door and why is it narrow?
5. What exactly does a person need to do to enter through this door?
6. Why does it require effort? After all, if our salvation is given by grace through faith and not by any works of our own (Ephesians 2:8-9) then why does Jesus say make every effort to enter through the narrow door?
7. Jesus gives a stern warning here that many will be left out because they missed the way in. As you look at the words of protest from those left outside, what did they seem to think was enough to get them in? How would you translate their responses into modern-day attitudes or assumptions?
8. The image of a narrow door might make us think that God does not want many to be saved. On the contrary, how does verse 29 help us to understand the wideness of this salvation?
9. Jesus makes it clear that there is simply no “salvation by association.” Instead the core of the problem with those left outside is that Jesus simply didn’t know them. What does it really mean for us to know Christ and be known by Him? How has that relationship taken shape in your life?
ACT
10. What is your next step in following Jesus?
11. Who could you help take their next step toward following Jesus?
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