“Luke / Acts Week 7 – Date Feb 12-16”

Monday, February 12, 2024

Monday – Luke 6:17-19 Jesus Ministers to a Great Multitude
1. Jesus is drawing a wide variety of people to Himself. In your own words, describe the different types of people who make up the crowd coming to Jesus.
2. Had you lived back then, would you have traveled long distances to see and hear Jesus? Why? Explore in what ways you are and are not motivated by the reasons today?
3. Luke states, the crowd gathers to Jesus to “hear Him and to be healed.” In His ensuing sermon, Jesus teaches one comes to Him not just to receive His grace, but to respond to His grace. Skimming over vv. 20-49, how does Jesus want people to respond to His grace?

Tuesday – Luke 6:20-26 The Beatitudes and Woes
1. Jesus begins His Sermon on the Plain by contrasting two kinds of people, discussing each in four parallel ways. Who is blessed, and why? Who is pitiable, and why?
2. While Matthew’s Beatitudes are spiritualized (cf. Mat 5:2-12), Luke’s are not. Why is the kingdom given to disciples who are poor and rejected, while people who are rich and respected are in grave danger? In what ways are these four blessings and woes an upside-down covenant?
3. There are only two ways to find true happiness (blessedness) – the world’s way and God’s way. In what ways have you found Jesus’ way of happiness the right one? What tempts you to stray from Jesus’ way?

Wednesday – Luke 6:27-36 Love Your Enemies
1. Having turned the world’s values upside-down, Jesus proceeds to overturn the world’s standard of fairness. Summarize Jesus’ teaching on loving your enemies. Why is this an upside-down way of living?
2. As we’ve seen, Jesus has enemies and detractors – He’s not asking us to do anything He isn’t willing to do Himself. Explain the motivation for following His model of loving your enemies.
3. Who are some of your “enemies”? Focus on that person who could be considered your chief-thorn-in- your-side and, in the next few days, reach out to him or her with some practical show of love.

Thursday – Luke 6:37-42 Judging Others
1. Jesus summarizes His call for gracious forgiveness to replace judging and condemning by stating, “For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Elaborate on the meaning of Jesus’ truism.
2. The root of a judgmental, condemning spirit is hypocrisy. What is the difference between hypocritical judging and being lovingly discerning? How does one remove the log in their eye, to help their neighbor with the speck in their eye?
3. If you follow Jesus’ guidelines for replacing judging others with a loving (vv. 27-36), forgiving, and authentic faith, what positive and negative effects might it have on your relationships?

Friday – Luke 6:43-45 A Tree and Its Fruit
1. Jesus ends with two-word pictures to describe the obedience He desires. The first is that of a fruit tree. What does Jesus mean by “fruit”? Provide several examples of good and bad fruit (cf. Gal 5:16- 24).
2. Jesus is ultimately interested in how our characters are being molded by His words. How does the illustration of the tree and its fruit reflect this truth?
3. Evaluate your own heart by the standard of v. 45. What areas of your heart need reshaping by Jesus’ teachings so you can produce His “good fruit”?

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