Jesus Sent by God

1.       Can you remember a time that you had an important task to accomplish and you were single-mindedly focused on completing it?  Share that memory with the group and talk about how it felt to have everything else fall by the wayside as you fulfilled your task.

2.       The pace and tone of Luke change at the baptism of Jesus in chapter three and his temptation in chapter four.  What has changed for Jesus with these events, and is that change simply a result of his messianic role, or is it also informative for us today?  If it is informative for us; how?

3.       In Luke 4:16-30, Jesus makes some people angry.  How does Jesus’ understanding of God’s kingdom and the synagogue crowd’s understanding of God’s kingdom differ?  If we fast-forward today, what pitfalls does our culture and context create to understanding the Bible rightly?  How can we protect ourselves from a culturally and contextually driven understanding of the Bible?

4.       Throughout the combined volume of Luke-Acts, Luke presents describes the Holy Spirit as very active, especially in chapters three and four.  As we see the Spirit leading Jesus in chapter four, what ways can you be confident in the Spirit’s leading and empowerment in your life, and how does that understanding change the ways you invest your time?

5.       Pause for a moment and consider the centuries-long, breath-holding of expectation and fulfillment that Jesus releases in the inauguration of his ministry.  What aspect strikes you personally as most marvelous and amazing about God’s Son?

Other biblical themes to explore:

·       The genealogy of Moses in Exodus 6.

·       The temptation of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3.

·       Israel’s years in the wilderness.

·       The stories of Elijah and Elisha.

Themes in Luke to observe

·       The misunderstood kingdom

·       The work of the Holy Spirit

·       Being “sent”

·       Words and works