« Back to Beyond the Message

How to use it: After watching/listening to this week’s message, from October 16, 2022, use the questions to go deeper into the message, with your group…or on your own. The questions will introduce you to the topic, reflect content from the sermon, go ‘Beyond the Message’, & get you thinking about practical applications for your life.

1. Your DNA contains the “building blocks” that makes you human, but uniquely human.

   a. What common characteristics does everyone in your group (and all humans) share that reveal a common DNA?

   b. What unique characteristics do you have that you would like to blame on your DNA?
   

2. Acts 2:42-47 is considered to be one of the few “prescriptive” descriptions of the church (timeless, unchanging characteristics of the church).

   a. Read this passage and identify the five prescriptive functions of the church. (teaching, fellowship, worship, evangelism, service)

   b. How have you seen these “descriptively” expressed in different churches?

   c. How are each lived out at West Meadows?
   

3. Read the story of the Woman at the Well found in John 4:1-26.

   a. What does this story tell us about the culture of the day and how society viewed this woman? What do you imagine this woman’s life was like?

   b. What did Jesus see when he encountered this woman? How was her encounter with Jesus different from other daily encounter we can expect she endured?
   

4. We gain further insight into the impact of Jesus’ Counter-Cultural Love in John 4:27-42.

   a. When the disciples return, why do you think they are surprised, but say nothing? (v.27)

   b. In light of Jesus encounter with the woman at the well, how are we to understand his teaching in v.32-38? (Consider the setting: who are the “fields”? Who is the “sower” and the “reaper”? What is the harvest?)

   c. Think again of the woman, how did her encounter with Jesus impact her? (v. 28-30). How did this encounter change the way the community viewed the woman and Jesus? (v.39-42)
   

5. Thinking of the prevailing culture around us (e.g. our nation, community, church, family, personally, etc) how would you complete the phrase, “_____ do not associate with ____?” (John 4:9)

   a. What would it look like to show Counter-Cultural Love in these situations?

   b. Can you think of ways the West Meadows shows Counter-Cultural Love to others? What new ways or opportunities exist for us to live out this vision?

   Prayer: Read all six values found here. Reflect for a moment on the value of Counter-Cultural Love, and then while you pray for one another, also ask God to provide opportunities to live this out this value in the coming week.