This week, we were back in our studies through the Gospel of Luke. We pray that these notes, reminders and questions assist your conversation, meditation and prayer as you meet together this week.
Pray Together
- What are some of the church needs you’re aware of?
- Who in the church needs your intercession?
- What are you and your loved ones praying for at the moment?
- What wider situations can you pray into?
Read Together
Today we looked at the nine conversations found in Luke 22:39-61. Take the time to re-read the text together. What sticks out for you in the text? What things from the sermon did you take away?
As always, if you want to listen again, or if you missed the sermon, you can listen to it here or via our podcast.
The Gethsemane Agony
We read how Christ prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying for strength to face the “cup of wrath” that He knew to be before Him. We heard how the Lord Jesus Christ:
- Sympathises with us,
- Substitutes for us,
- Submits to the Father with us.
He sympathises: take a look at Isaiah 53:3 and Hebrews 4:15 to see this explicitly.
One of Satan’s lies is that the temptations we face are in some way unique to us, and nobody else could understand. Biblically, we know that no temptation is unique (see 1 Corinthians 10:13 – memorised by many during our evening services!).
- Are there areas that you do, or have felt, are unique to you?
- How can your brothers/sisters in your Connect groups support you?
He substitutes: this is what weighed so heavily on our Lord. He pondered the “cup of wrath” that He was about to drink. Recall how we learned that God must show perfect, holy wrath upon the unrepentant sinner.
- Do you still have any trouble reconcilling God’s wrath with God’s love?
The reality is, for we who have put on Christ, we will never know the depth of God’s wrath: Christ took it on our behalf.
The wrath of God against Christ is the love of God towards us
He submits: Recall how we see Jesus fully in control of the timing of these events. He continued His habit of entering and leaving Jerusalem, and praying at the Garden of Gethsemane. If He’d wanted to evade capture, He could have easily! Look at how Jesus rebuked Peter, according to Matthew’s Gospel:
Matthew 26:52–54 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
Christ’s willing submission and agreement with the Father was essential to our salvation. We then can submit to the Father and to Christ and receive the Gospel.
- Are there areas in your life that you have recently learned to submit to God? Share how this has affected your walk.
- Are there areas right now you are aware need to be submitted?
Peter’s Denial
We read Peter’s three-fold denial of Jesus Christ in verses 54-62. We heard how there is both a warning and encouragement: a warning of the great sorrow that comes with denying the Lord (see v62), and great encouragement in that the Lord restored Peter in the passage in John’s Gospel.
- Have you ever had an occasion where you have known God wanted you to speak up, and you did not? What was the result?
- Have you had an occasion where you did obey the Spirit of God and speak up? What was the result?
Recall how we considered five contributing factors that may have been part of Peter’s failure:
- He boasted too much
- He prayed too little
- He acted too fast
- He followed from too far
- He warmed himself at the enemy’s fire for too long
Did any of those points resonated with you? Share how God is exhorting you.
Keep Each Other Accountable
Recall this verse from Ecclesiastes about the blessedness of having a brother or sister to bear you up and encourage you:
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
We all struggle in many ways, so be encouraged so share together and pray together.
Pray for One Another
Paul urges us to pray with perseverance for all the saints. Make it your commitment to pray for your Connect Group members this week.
Colossians 1:9–10 … we … pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
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