June 11, 2017 | Tom Swanson | John 10:1-6
COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, 06/11/17 Sermon
Getting Acquainted
1) This is an exercise in listening and following. The group leader designates one person to start telling a story. After that person has spoken 3-5 sentences, the leader tags someone else to take over. That person must first repeat the last sentence from the previous talker and then continue the story. After that person has spoken 3-5 sentences the leader tags someone else and so on. If the person tagged forgets the last sentence or can’t continue the story, then the leader tags someone else or must do it himself!
Getting into the Bible
2) We saw in John 10 that sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. The word for hearing or listening that is used here is very common in the New Testament. At times it is used of physical hearing, but often it means much more. Read Matthew 13:14-17, Mark 8:17-18 and John 8:42-43. In these words that Jesus spoke what does he often mean when he talks about hearing? What can get in the way of really hearing? Read John 5:24. What needs to go along with simply hearing?
3) We saw in John 10 that sheep not only listen, but they also follow the shepherd. The word for follow that is used here is also fairly common in the New Testament (but only in the gospels). At times it is used of accompanying one who goes before, but there are many times where the meaning is much richer. Read Matthew 4:19-22, Matthew 10:34-38 and Mark 8:34-38. What is Jesus talking about when he mentions following him? What can get in the way of following Jesus? Read John 8:12 and 12:26. What are some very positive things to consider when thinking about following Jesus?
Working it out in Life
4) Was there something from last Sunday’s sermon that you found to be especially helpful, challenging, encouraging or stretching?
5) Thinking about what it means to listen to the Good Shepherd, can you tell the others in the group about a time when that seemed especially real or helpful to you? How did that happen? How did you become aware that God was really speaking to you through his Word or Spirit?
6) Thinking about what it means to follow the Good Shepherd, can you tell the others in the group about a time when that seemed especially clear to you? How did that happen? How did you know in what direction God was guiding you?
7) At the end of the message we looked briefly at the shepherds (Elders or Pastors) of a local church. The Scriptures tell us to honor those whom God has placed in such positions (1 Timothy 5). What might that look like at CWF to honor both the lay elders and the vocational elders/pastors?
Digging Deeper
8) We can all become spiritually hard of hearing at times. We start to listen to the other voices around us and begin to ignore the voice of the Good Shepherd. What has personally been another voice for you which is easy to give attention to? What have you found helpful in tuning back in to the voice of the Shepherd?
Series title: A Look in the Mirror
Message 1: June 11, 2017
Message title: A Flock That Follows
Message Scripture: John 10:1-6
Message summary: Brides are beautiful, families are engaging, temples are majestic and even healthy bodies can draw our attention. All of these images for the Church have a certain appeal. But a flock of sheep? Maybe from a distance, but don’t sheep smell? Aren’t they the dim bulbs of the animal kingdom? Don’t they have too little sense to take care of themselves? Maybe, but when Jesus talks about his Church as a flock of sheep, he talks about people that listen and know how to follow. That’s a description we can all embrace!
Outline:
1) The Shepherd and his listening sheep
2) The Shepherd and his following sheep
3) The Shepherd and the shepherds
