04-26-2020

Rev. Trevor Johnston and Pastor Efrain Silva
Sermon Series: “Amazed! A Closer Look At One Amazing Life”
Week 2 – His Amazing Forgiveness
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Each week, our Sermon Discussion Questions are here to help the sermon go deeper into your life. You can think these questions through on your own, or discuss them with your spouse, family, or small group.

1. In this sermon series, we are taking a closer look at Jesus’ life. During this coronavirus season, many of us are also taking a closer look at our own lives and realizing we want to do some things differently than we’ve done them before. If there’s an area of your life that you’re trying to do differently, share about that with your group.

2. Read our theme verse for this sermon series together out loud as a group and try to memorize it. Mark 7:37a: “People were overwhelmed with amazement. ‘He has done everything well,’ they said.”

3. Read Mark 2:1-12:
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 ‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, ‘Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up, take your mat and walk”? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the man, 11 ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’”

What questions or comments come to your mind as you read this passage?

4. What struck you as you watched the video clip from the new TV series, The Chosen?

5. The Bible is full of descriptions and laws about sin, but if you consider them as just rules, you’ll miss the point. Dr. Vic Copan defines sin as anything that damages or breaks our relationship with God, others, ourselves, and the world. What does that definition add to your understanding of sin and its consequences?

6. In Psalm 103:11-12, David helps us understand what God’s forgiveness is like: “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” What does this passage communicate about God’s forgiveness?

7. Read Micah 7:18-19: “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” What does this passage add to your understanding of what God is like? How does this compare with the picture of God that you’ve had in the past?

8. What are some mistaken ideas people have regarding how to get God’s forgiveness?

9. Why were the people in Mark 2 so shocked to hear Jesus say that this man’s sins were forgiven? What were the implications of Jesus offering this man forgiveness for his sins?

Jesus’ forgiveness is amazing because:

• It cost Jesus his life

10. Consider what Jesus went through on the cross. If you’ve seen films like The Passion or heard descriptions of Roman crucifixion practices, recall those now. How does it impact you to know Jesus was willing to go through that for your forgiveness?

• It reveals the love of Jesus

11. Think of the person in your life who has loved you more than any other human being, and tell your group about that person. As you share, consider that Jesus loves you more than that.

• It causes us to love Jesus in return

12. Read Luke 7:36-50: “When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.’
40 Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’
‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said.
41 ‘Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?’
43 Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.’
‘You have judged correctly,’ Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.’
48 Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’
50 Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’”

What did Jesus mean when he said (in verse 47) “Whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”?

13. Jesus’ forgiveness isn’t most amazing when you’re just admiring it, but when you’re actually experiencing it. Share about what has changed in your life as a result of accepting Jesus’ forgiveness.

Ready for your next step?
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