Along Came Jesus
These questions are written to be used during our house church meeting in Katy on Tuesday nights and in Sugar Land on Wednesday nights. If you find yourself unable or attend a gathering this week we encourage you to use these questions at home to sink more deeply into this vision series.
Icebreaker: What are the most important relationships in your life? How do these relationships impact the decisions you make, what you do and/or don't do?
Background: In the time of Jesus, tax collectors had a very bad reputation. Firstly, they were considered to be sellouts to the Romans. The Romans were a foreign occupying force over Judea. They were often times very cruel and mistreated the Jews. Tax collectors were Jews who worked for the Romans for personal gain. Basically they helped Rome gather taxes from their own countrymen. Tax gatherers are never popular in any country, but especially in this case. But this wasn’t the only reason tax collectors were almost universally hated. The other is that they often collected much more than the amount required and pocketed the difference. While those paying taxes knew this, there was little they could do to stop it. Generally only a person of the lowest moral character who valued money above all else would be willing to sell out their own country (and alienate them) like this. Matthew was one of them.
Read and Reflect: Read Matthew 9:9-13
Take a moment to get your bearings; look at the surrounding stories by reading the subtitles around this week’s passage. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or definitions for new words and ideas. Listening to other translations of the Bible can both clarify and enrich the meanings of these readings.
Discussion:
1. What is your initial reaction to what is happening in this passage? What questions do you have?
2. When Matthew follows Jesus, what does he give up, what does he leave?
3. Who took issue with Jesus eating with sinners and why?
4. What was Jesus’ response to those who objected?
5. What does this tell you about Jesus' love for you?
Go Deeper:
4. How does Jesus calling Matthew impact the way you view Jesus calling you to follow him? What makes that difficult, natural, confusing, etc?
Prayer:
Pray for the families in your house church and the people on your Top Five cards.
Announcements:
*Mark your calendars* We have a baptism Sunday, October 30 with a macaroni bar lunch after the service. We will send out a SignUp Genius next week to help with food.
*Mark your calendars* All youth in 4th-12th grade, have a Halloween party Sunday, October 30 from 1-3pm. Contact Hannah, hannah@gatheringrichmond.org, with questions.
Explore the new app! It has great features! Just look up The Gathering Church wherever you get your apps and log in using the side menu so that we have your most current information!
Icebreaker: What are the most important relationships in your life? How do these relationships impact the decisions you make, what you do and/or don't do?
Background: In the time of Jesus, tax collectors had a very bad reputation. Firstly, they were considered to be sellouts to the Romans. The Romans were a foreign occupying force over Judea. They were often times very cruel and mistreated the Jews. Tax collectors were Jews who worked for the Romans for personal gain. Basically they helped Rome gather taxes from their own countrymen. Tax gatherers are never popular in any country, but especially in this case. But this wasn’t the only reason tax collectors were almost universally hated. The other is that they often collected much more than the amount required and pocketed the difference. While those paying taxes knew this, there was little they could do to stop it. Generally only a person of the lowest moral character who valued money above all else would be willing to sell out their own country (and alienate them) like this. Matthew was one of them.
Read and Reflect: Read Matthew 9:9-13
Take a moment to get your bearings; look at the surrounding stories by reading the subtitles around this week’s passage. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or definitions for new words and ideas. Listening to other translations of the Bible can both clarify and enrich the meanings of these readings.
Discussion:
1. What is your initial reaction to what is happening in this passage? What questions do you have?
2. When Matthew follows Jesus, what does he give up, what does he leave?
3. Who took issue with Jesus eating with sinners and why?
4. What was Jesus’ response to those who objected?
5. What does this tell you about Jesus' love for you?
Go Deeper:
4. How does Jesus calling Matthew impact the way you view Jesus calling you to follow him? What makes that difficult, natural, confusing, etc?
Prayer:
Pray for the families in your house church and the people on your Top Five cards.
Announcements:
*Mark your calendars* We have a baptism Sunday, October 30 with a macaroni bar lunch after the service. We will send out a SignUp Genius next week to help with food.
*Mark your calendars* All youth in 4th-12th grade, have a Halloween party Sunday, October 30 from 1-3pm. Contact Hannah, hannah@gatheringrichmond.org, with questions.
Explore the new app! It has great features! Just look up The Gathering Church wherever you get your apps and log in using the side menu so that we have your most current information!
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