Community Group Study Notes
Discussion Questions
- Have someone in your group give a brief recap of Sunday’s message, highlighting the primary Scripture points and the main idea of the message.
- How did this message strengthen and/or correct your previous ideas about justification? Was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you? Did you learn anything new about God or yourself this week?
- Read Luke 18:9-14 together. What stands out most to you in this parable?
- Compare the Pharisee’s prayer and the tax collector’s prayer. What do their words reveal about the posture of their hearts?
- How do we sometimes fall into the Pharisee’s trap of comparing ourselves to others in order to feel righteous? How does the tax collector’s prayer show us the right way to approach God?
- Jesus says the tax collector went home “justified”. What does justification mean, and why is it good news for us?
- What’s one area of your life where you need to shift from self-reliance to dependence on God’s mercy?
- What action step do you need to take in response to this week’s message? How can your group hold you accountable to this step?
Action Step
This week, make the tax collector’s prayer your own: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Each day, take a moment to pray this honestly, naming specific areas where you need His mercy - and then thank God for the justification you have in Christ. Spend time journaling anything God is revealing to you as you pray this prayer.
Abide
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