Discussion Questions for 12/04/22
Read all of Matthew 1. What Ideas stick out to you? What sorts of ideas have you historically associated with this text? What questions do you have? How does the opening genealogy speak into the birth narrative?
Matthew’s telling of the birth story focus’ almost exclusively on Joseph’s perspective. How does this sit with you? How does this compare to how you are used to engaging the Christmas story?
Joseph’s faithful obedience to God had real physical consequences for him. Think though this and list out as many of these costs Joseph paid as you are able to. Consider this cost next to the privilege Joseph received in his part in the gospel story. How might this put a larger context around your own hardships in life?
Pastor Sam said that the modern understanding of faith often boils down to “believing something without adequate evidence.” How does this definition sit with you? Have you heard this idea before? Is there any truth to this idea?
Pastor Sam said that a biblical understanding of faith is connected to the idea of trusting future outcomes based on the evidence of past and present outcomes. He used the example of trusting the chair to hold you up. Many of us have been so burned by people and especially authority figures that it is easy to project bad faith onto our interactions with God and live our lives ‘vigilantly checking the chair’ before we sit down. Interact with this idea. Have you had any specific negative experiences with faith in people? List these out. Can you see any ways these relationships have affected the way you trust God today? What might change in your life if you were to trust God based his own merit?
What was God telling you this week? What have you done about it?
