Easter Sunday | The Resurrection of Jesus | John 20:1-18

Discussion Questions

  • The sermon mentions that we live in a world of"nevermores." What are some of the losses or "little deaths" you've experienced in your own life, and how have you dealt with them?

  • How has the resurrection of Christ shaped how you think about loss in this life?

  • The sermon describes peace as a defining characteristic of the new world Jesus brought through his resurrection. How have you experienced the peace of the new creation recently?

  • According to the sermon, three things typically need to fall into place before someone can say "He is risen!"- the rational, the personal, and the communal. Which of these has been most important in your own faith journey? How might this affect the way you reach out to those far from God?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that God would help you experience more of the peace that Jesus came to bring this week

  • Ask the Lord to draw you towards others who are desperate for hope

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly. How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one”this month?

Palm Sunday | The Triumphal Entry | John 12:12-19

Discussion Questions

  • What were some of the similarities between the Maccabean Revolt and Triumphal Entry? What kind of environment did these similarities create in Jesus’ day?

  • How was Jesus’ kingship misunderstood? What were people expecting?

  • What kind of apologetics (arguments) were given in the sermon that are evident in the passage? What instruction can we take from them?

  • How is Jesus different from all other kings? What should this mean for our attitude on a daily basis?

  • What comfort can we take from Jesus knowing how the crowds would be treating him from one Sunday to the next?

Prayer Points

  • Pray God would reveal to you ways you want his saving help, but on your terms.

  • Pray the Lord would make you more bold in bearing witness to the remarkable things He has done in your life.

Gospel of John | Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled | John 14:1-14

Discussion Questions

  • In what ways do you relate to the disciples’ uncertainty and anxiety about the future? What situations in your life made you ask, “What happens next, can I trust God?”.

  • How does the promise of eternity with Jesus give you hope in difficult times?

  • What are some “bad guides” that people often follow instead of Jesus? How do these guides ultimately lead us away from true life? Have you ever trusted a guide (person, ideology, or belief system) that led you astray? What did you learn from that experience?

  • Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” What does it mean for Him to be the way rather than a way?

  • How can we stay focused on Jesus in a world full of distractions and false guides?

  • How does the Holy Spirit help us in our walk with Jesus? Can you share a time when you felt the Spirit’s guidance?

Prayer Points

  • Praise God for sending Jesus, to prepare a way for us to be with Him eternally.

  • Ask God to help us trust Him fully as our guide. Pray for strength to follow Jesus faithfully, avoiding distractions and influences that lead us away from Him.

  • Ask God to equip the church to be a light in the community and to serve with joy.

Gospel of John | The Kneeling King | John 13:1-38

Discussion Questions

  • Living as a servant begins with seeing the needs of those around us. What makes it challenging for you to see the needs of those you cross paths with each day?

  • Are there certain types of people you find more challenging to love than others? Why do you think that is?

  • How does understanding Jesus’ love for us empower us to serve others?

  • If your small group or church became known primarily for radical, selfless love, how might that change your community?

  • Whose feet might God be calling you to wash?

Prayer Points

  • Ask the Lord to show you who he wants you to serve this week.

  • Ask the Lord to show you if you’re using your time, talent, and treasure to build up the family of Sound City.

Reach One

As we continue to grow as Thoughtful Witnesses, we’re inviting everyone to “reach one” person that’s far from God by praying for them by name daily and engaging them in some way monthly (see the page below for ideas). To help encourage one another in this season, we’re asking each Community Group to discuss the following questions at least monthly. How can we pray for your “one”? How are you hoping to engage your “one” this month?

Gospel of John | The Hour of Glory | John 12:20-36, 42

Discussion Questions

  • God’s glory is his singular significance and splendor. In what areas of your life do you struggle to treat God as glorious?

  • Obedience, even when difficult, is a key test of whether we're living for God's glory or the glory of something or someone else. Can you share an experience when obeying God was challenging but ultimately revealed what you valued most?

  • The sermon suggests that a lack of praise often indicates we've placed our glory in something else that's letting us down. What tends to rob you of praise in your daily life?

  • What practical steps can you take this week to spend more time "beholding" the glory of God in Jesus?

Prayer Points

  • Ask the Lord to reveal to you where you are treating him as “light” instead of glorious

  • Ask the Lord for opportunities to share the glory Christ with others

Gospel of John | The Cost of Discipleship | John 11:55-12:1-8, 20-26

Discussion Questions

  • Was there ever a time in your life when you had some kind of relationship with
    Jesus, but you weren’t fully committed to him? What was that like?

  • Mary surrendered her resources, her reputation, and her whole self. Which of
    these three areas of surrender do you find most challenging, and why?

  • Pastor Reece asked, "What's in your jar?" — referring to the thing(s) we hold back
    from God. What is something you sense God asking you to surrender that feels
    particularly difficult or even "like death" to give up? What fears surround that
    surrender?’

  • Share about a time when something you surrendered to God led to unexpected life
    and fruit.

Prayer Points

  • Ask God to reveal any area of your life you’re holding back from him.

  • Pray for courage to surrender whatever God reveals.

Gospel of John | Jesus Raises Lazarus | John 11:1-53

Discussion Questions

  • Reflect on a time of suffering in your life. How did it change you?

  • Do you tend to focus on one aspect of Christ's character when facing suffering? Which facet of Christ's glory do you find yourself most drawn to, and which do you most often overlook?

  • In what ways does Christ’s suffering specifically address the problem of evil?

  • The sermon concludes that the Christian hope isn't escape from this world but resurrection and renewal. How might this hope of "everything sad becoming untrue" transform how you face current struggles?

  • What role does community play in helping us navigate suffering well?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that God would open your eyes to the fullness of his glory in the midst of your hardships

  • Pray for those in our church who are currently walking through seasons of suffering

Gospel of John | Jesus Heals the Blind | John 9:1-41

Discussion Questions

  • How has the world viewed disability over time?

  • What does the world say about suffering?

  • What has been a damaging theology about suffering you have heard?

  • How does Jesus teach us to think differently about suffering?

  • What makes this truth difficult to accept, especially during times of suffering?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that God will work through you to strengthen and encourage his people when they suffer.

  • Pray that you will trust him and his purposes during times of suffering.

  • Pray that your suffering will provide opportunities to point people to the truth and power of
    Jesus.

Gospel of John | I Am the Good Shepherd | John 10:1-18

Discussion Questions

  • Do you agree with the statement that everyone has to follow someone through life? Is it possible to be your own leader through life?

  • Pastor Reece mentioned three false shepherds of our time. Are there other pseudo-shepherds you feel yourself or others tempted to follow instead of Jesus?

  • How can someone know if they’re treating Jesus as a sidekick rather than a leader of one’s life?

  • What might it look like for Sound City to grow in partnering with Jesus to bring more sheep into the fold?

  • Where in your life do you need to grow as a “cruciform leader”?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that God would show you where you’re not listening to the voice of The Good Shepherd

  • Ask the Lord to give you a heart to seek after those who are lost and helpless

Gospel of John | Jesus and Identity | John 10:1-18

Discussion Questions

  • How would you define personal identity?

  • Why do you think our culture is so obsessed with identity?

  • In the sermon, Pastor Reece critiqued the modern approach to identity? Do you agree or disagree with any of his points? Are there other additional reasons you think the modern approach to identity is ineffective?

  • How have you seen the identity Jesus gives freely change how you live?

  • As Christians, we believe we are known and loved despite our performance, and yet, we still struggle at times with feeling worthy. How do we learn to live out of our identity in Christ instead of trying to achieve an identity on our own?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that the Lord would expose the ways you’re trying to achieve your identity

  • Ask the Lord to free those in our lives who are striving to find themselves without coming to Christ, the Good Shepherd

True Freedom | John 8:31-47

Discussion Questions

  • How does our culture define freedom? How is this different from how Jesus talks about freedom in this passage?

  • Pastor Reece mentioned three enemies that conspire against our freedom: the world, the flesh, and the devil. How do you see each working against the life Jesus came to give?

  • What does it look like practically to “abide” in the words of Christ? 

  • Where is God calling you to surrender to his ways?

Prayer Points

  • Pray that God would show you where you’re refusing to accept the words of Jesus

  • Pray that God would give you the strength to obey all his words

The Woman Caught in Adultery | John 7:53-8:-11

Discussion Questions

  • How do you process failures in your own life?

  • How have you seen your own sin drive into shame and isolation?

  • What are the lies you tell yourself when you’ve made a mistake?

  • How have you seen the grace of Jesus rewrite your story?

  • What’s the difference between condemnation and conviction?

  • What does it look like practically to break the cycle of condemnation in your life and instead choose the path of freedom?

Prayer Points

  • Thank God for freeing us from the condemnation we all deserve.

  • Ask God to teach you what it means to run to him in the wake of our mistakes rather than shame and guilt.

Gospel of John | To Whom Shall We Go? | John 6:60-71

Discussion Questions

  • Have you ever gone through a season where you doubted the truth of your faith? What brought that season on?

  • What are some of the questions you wrestle with most?

  • Of the five principles Pastor Reece laid out, which have you found most helpful in seasons of doubt?

  • How can we as a church create an environment where it’s safe to doubt

  • Take a few minutes for a member to share their doubts and then give the group a few minutes to respond with things that have helped them process through similar questions

Prayer Points

  • Ask the Lord to make our church a place where those seeking God feel safe to wrestle with hard questions

  • Ask that God would open your eyes to see the glory of Christ more clearly

Gospel of John | I Am the Bread of Life | John 6:1-59

Discussion Questions

  • Share about the most recent time you felt deeply content in life. What do you think brought that about?

  • What’s the difference between coming to Jesus to get things from him and coming to Jesus to get him?

  • What are some of the “perishable breads” you look to for satisfaction?

  • Share about a time you felt deeply satisfied in Jesus

  • How are you feasting on Jesus in this season of life? How can our community encourage you in that pursuit?

Prayer Points

  • Ask the Lord to expose any perishable bread you are putting your trust in

  • Pray the Lord would show you what it looks like to feast on him this year

Gospel of John | Jesus Heals a Lame Man | John 5:1-18

Discussion Questions

  • What stands out to you about Jesus’ interaction with the lame man in John 5:1 -18?

  • Is there a defining affliction in your life that you are desperate for Jesus to heal? If you feel comfortable, share with the group.

  • How do you attempt to heal yourself when you decide not to turn to Jesus?

  • What do you think Jesus was getting at with his question, “Do you want to be healed?”

  • What keeps you from going to Jesus for healing?

  • What would it look like for you to start the process of healing from whatever your defining affliction is this year?

Prayer Points

  • Ask God to show you the ways you’re trying to heal yourself

  • Ask the Lord to reveal what it looks like practically for you to run to him for healing

The Light of Peace | Luke 2:8-14

Discussion Questions

  1. The shepherds’ fear when encountering the angel reminds us how often we feel anxious when we face something unexpected or uncontrollable. What are some areas in your life where you experience fear or anxiety?

  2. What are some “particle board” solutions you might be using to fill peaceless voids in your life? What would it look like for the peace of God to be present in those areas?

  3. Peace in life isn’t the absence of anxiety or difficulties, but it’s the presence of Jesus in the midst of it. How can you embrace the gift of Jesus’ presence in moments of fear or anxiety?

  4. Corrie ten Boom’s quote mentions finding rest by looking to God. Discuss spiritual disciplines and practices that can help you look to God.

Prayer Points

  • Praise God for the incredible gift of peace we have through Jesus!

  • Pray for the people in your life who are hurting and without peace.

  • Pray that the Holy Spirit would empower the people at Sound City to bring the light of peace to our neighbors.

The Light for All | Luke 2:8-14

Discussion Questions

  • What is the myth of exclusivism as Pastor John taught about the exclusivity of the gospel?

  • What is unbelievable about God including the nations as his special people?

  • What gets people “in” to Christianity if it is so exclusive?

  • How should Christians treat people they disagree with in response to the gospel?

Prayer Points

  • Pray our church would grow in our ability to understand and engage with other belief systems outside of Christianity.

  • Pray we would have a deep appreciation and wonder for God’s grace demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ and a confidence that we’ll never be turned away because of him.

The Light Appears | Luke 1:26-38

Discussion Questions

  • In what way have you been confronted with your unworthiness in light of God’s holy, perfect, righteousness?

  • Are you more likely to over-emphasize your own merits, or wallow in a sense of unremarkableness?

  • When does your need for God’s work in your life seem too great to believe he will do it?

  • Is it more difficult for you to have a humble faith, an imaginative faith, or a trusting faith?

  • What is a path you are walking or recently have walked that requires a trusting faith?

  • What are some ways you can grow in the depth of your faith in Jesus as the Light in your life?

Prayer Points

  • This Advent season, pray for God to show you the wonder of his unbelievably miraculous sending of Christ.

  • Ask God to let you experience that nothing is impossible for God.

  • Thank God that he always leads the way, even when the path has not been fully revealed.