This Week's Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12
Crossroads Community Group Guide
A. Welcome: Welcome everyone, especially new people, and read aloud the purpose of your group.
B. Purpose: Our purpose is to spread the Kingdom of God. We do this by multiplying groups of people who care for each as God's family. We begin by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and spread God's kingdom.
C. Worship Time (Optional): Spend a few minutes singing a worship song. Here is one you may want to use: I I Give You My Heart (or pick your own YouTube video that shows the lyrics.)
E. Upcoming Events: Crossroads Website
F. Review:
- How did you do with what you want to apply from last week?
- Who did you invite to the group for this week?
G. Opening Question (an icebreaker - a simple question to introduce the main theme):
- It what ways have you be changed since you came to Jesus? If you have not come to Jesus yet why not? ?
H. Background Information for this study:
John the Baptist was sent by God (John 1:6-8) to prepare the way for Jesus and His kingndom. John preached a message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Repentance means feeling sorrowful for doing wrong things and turning in a different direction and then beginning to live a new life.
When people confessed their sins (got real and admitted they failed) they were forgiven and then baptized. Once a person is forgiven they are called to live a new life. The old is gone and the new has come. Jesus himself gives us the power to change. It is a process of surrendering control to Jesus and letting Him change us.
First Section: Matthew 3;1-4. John's message. Discuss what key words like repent, kingdom of God and prepare the way for the Lord mean.
Second Section: Matthew 3;5-6. The people's response. Ask what do you think the people were feeling that made them go out to see John. How did they feel when they repented and were baptized/.
Third Section: Matthew 3;7-12. Discuss what it means to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. What would that look like for us? .
In this study be sure to make a practical application to each section. Make application to your life including what you will do to tell other people the message.
J. Word: Read the scriptures above by section. Read it in smaller portions aloud together several times. (The goal is for everyone to understand the Bible story or verses by retelling them in their own words; keep at it until everyone knows the story or verses.)
1. What key (important) words do you see in these verses?2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.3. What are the details?4. What jumps out at you and catches your attention?5. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?
K. Discuss the following general questions together. (The goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion. The leader should not speak for more than 30% of the time; let the group discover what God is saying to them.)
1. What catches your attention in these verses?2. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?3. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story?4. What do you learn about people from the story?5. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?
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