Read Matthew 21: 1-9.

1. What is the significance of Holy Week, and how does it shape our

understanding of Jesus' mission?

2. How does the contrast between the Triumphal Entry and the Crucifixion

demonstrate the unexpected nature of Jesus’ kingship?

3. What does the phrase "With God, even when we’re down, we’re not out"

mean in the context of Holy Week? How can we apply this to our personal

lives?

4. Romans 8: 28 reminds us that "in all things God works for the good of those

who love him." How does this verse speak to the peace we receive through

Christ?

5. Jesus is described as the "Prince of Peace" in Isaiah 9: 6. How does this title

contrast with the expectations of the people during His time?

6. What is the significance of the crowd shouting, "Hosanna!" at Jesus’ entry

into Jerusalem? What did they hope for, and how did their expectations

shift?

7. In what ways did the people of Jerusalem’s reaction to Jesus’ entry differ

from their reaction when they shouted, "Crucify him!"?

8. The sermon talks about choosing between "Jesus of Nazareth" and "Jesus

Barabbas." How can we sometimes make similar choices in our own lives

between the peace that Jesus offers and the false peace that the world

offers?

9. Why is it important that Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, was the ultimate

sacrifice for our sins? How does this act bring us peace?

10. In John 14: 27, Jesus says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you."

What does this peace look like in your life today, and how can you share it

with others?

Prayer for the Week:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the incredible gift of peace that we find in

Jesus Christ. As we reflect on the events of Holy Week, we are humbled by the

love and sacrifice that You demonstrated through Your Son. Help us to

remember that, even in times of turmoil, Your peace is greater than all the chaos

around us. Teach us to trust in Your plan, even when things don't go as we

expect, and to find comfort in knowing that You are always working for our good.

Lord, we ask that the peace of Christ would fill our hearts, minds, and lives. May

we be instruments of peace in a world that desperately needs it. Help us to carry

that peace to others and to live in a way that reflects Your love and grace. We

offer this prayer in the name of Jesus, our Savior, the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Read 1 Peter 1: 3-5

1. How did the theme of “Becoming a Little More Like Jesus” during Lent impact your

personal walk with Christ? Which weekly key word resonated most with you and

why?

2. The sermon mentioned the phrase, “A lot can happen in seven days.” How does the

transition from the despair of Good Friday to the joy of Easter Sunday help you

understand the concept of “Living Hope”?

3. Imagine being in Mary Magdalene’s shoes—what thoughts or emotions might you

have experienced upon finding the empty tomb? How does her encounter with the

risen Christ shape your understanding of hope?

4. Pastor Mick said Easter is “proof that good overcomes evil...light overcomes

darkness.” What personal experiences or moments have reminded you of this truth

in your own life?

5. The Message translation of the passage says, “we’ve been given a brand-new life

and have everything to live for.” What does this “brand-new life” look like for you

practically?

6. The quote, “He didn’t wait for me to get it right. He died knowing I couldn’t, and

loved me anyway,” was highlighted as a summary of the gospel. What does this

reveal about the nature of God's mercy? How does that change how you see

yourself? How does that change how you see others?

7. If Jesus has done all the heavy lifting, why do you think our response of faith is still

essential? What does “faith” look like in your day-to-day life?

8. Have you ever fallen into the trap of trying to earn God’s love or approval, even after

becoming a Christian? What helps you shift your mindset back to grace?

9. The sermon introduced the “Romans Road to Salvation.” Which verse from that path

speaks most deeply to you right now, and why? (Romans 3: 10, 3: 23, 5: 8, 6: 23,

10: 9-10, 10: 13)

10. “Living Hope” is not just for Easter Sunday—it’s for every day. What does it mean for

you to carry that hope into your relationships, challenges, and daily routines?

Prayer for the Week:

Gracious and merciful God, we thank You for the gift of Living Hope through the

resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ. As we reflect on the journey from the cross to the

empty tomb, we are reminded that You meet us in our weakness with grace that never

fails. Help us to live each day in the truth that we don’t have to earn Your love—you’ve

already given it freely. Strengthen our faith to trust in Your promises, and guide us to

walk in the new life You’ve made possible, sharing Your hope with a world still in need of

Your marvelous light. May our hearts continue to become a little more like Jesus and a

little less like ourselves, anchored always in Your love and mercy. We pray all of this in

the name of our risen Savior and Lord, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Message - "Sacrifice"

Read James 5: 7-11.

1. What does it mean to be patient in the context of waiting for the

Lord’s return? How can we practically apply this to our lives today?

2. What are some areas in your life where you struggle with impatience?

How can you grow more patient in those areas?

3. Reflecting on the example of the farmer in James 5: 7, what does

"long-suffering" look like in your own spiritual walk?

4. Read Romans 12: 12. How does this verse challenge our

understanding of patience? How does joy relate to patience in

affliction?

5. Why is it important to focus on God’s promises when experiencing

trials? How do His promises give us strength to persevere?

6. How does the example of Job inspire you when you face suffering?

What can we learn from his response to hardship? How did God

ultimately respond to Job’s patience and trust?

7. 1 Corinthians 13: 4 says, “Love is patient.” What does it mean for love

to be patient? Why is this important in our relationships with others?

How does this reflect the nature of God?

8. How can we support each other in cultivating patience during trials?

What role does community play in this process?

9. What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you to be

more patient? How will you respond to His call this week?

Prayer for the Week:

Gracious and Loving God, thank You for Your patience with us as we live

and learn through the ups and downs of life. Please instill in us the

patience we need to truly love others the way you love us. Strengthen our

hearts and help us to persevere through life's trials with steadfast faith,

knowing that Your promises are trustworthy and true. Keep us from

grumbling as we patiently bear with one another, even carrying each

other’s burdens. May Your Spirit fill us with hope and perseverance as we

eagerly await Your return. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Read Hebrews 11: 1-2.

1. What does the word “faith” mean to you?

2. Take a look at all of Hebrews 11. Why is this chapter sometimes referred to as the

“Hall of Faith”?

3. Why does the phrase “by faith” occur so many times in chapter 11? What does this

tell us about our own lives?

4. Pastor Wendy Joyner describes life as a “glorious adventure” that we are to “view

through the lens of eternity.” She says we need to be “farsighted pilgrims.” What do

you think she means by all of this?

5. Hebrews 11: 13 describes the Biblical heroes of the “Hall of Faith” as being “like

strangers and foreigners on the earth.” C.S. Lewis said, “The fact that our heart

yearns for something Earth can’t supply is proof that Heaven must be our home.”

What do you make of this? Can you relate?

6. 2 Corinthians 5: 7 says, “We walk by faith and not by sight.” What does this mean to

you?

7. James 2: 17 says, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” What

does that mean to you? Is faith more than what we believe, but actually how we

live? Is this what it means to “walk by faith,” actually putting our faith into action?

8. Hebrews 11: 16 says, “they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one.” How

does this relate to questions 4 and 5 above? How does this inform us about the way

we are to live our daily lives? How might this mindset help us through the difficult

times of life?

9. Becoming more like Jesus is a daily pursuit, shaped by trusting God’s promises,

enduring life’s ups and downs with faith, and living with an eternal perspective. Do

you agree with this statement? Why/why not?

10. What do you need to change in your life in order to become a little more like Jesus?

Prayer for the Week:

Gracious and Loving God, we thank You for the powerful examples of faith You have

given us through the Biblical heroes listed in the “Hall of Faith.” We are grateful for the

opportunity to learn from their trust in Your promises, their endurance through the ups

and downs of life, and their eternal perspective. Lord, help us to be “far sighted pilgrims”

like them, living life as a glorious adventure viewed through the lens of eternity. In so

doing, help us to become a little more like Jesus. Help us to trust Your promises even

when the road ahead is unclear. Give us the strength to endure challenges and trials

with unwavering faith, knowing that You are using all of it to guide us and to shape us

more into the image of Jesus. May our lives reflect His love, His obedience, and His

perseverance as we commit to walk by faith and not by sight. We pray all of this in the

strong name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now

and forever. Amen.

Scripture and Questions for Study and Reflection

1. When you think of the word "goodness," what comes to mind? How would you define God’s goodness versus how the world defines goodness?

2. Read Matthew 5: 1-12 (The Beatitudes). Which of these blessings stands out to you the most? How do these characteristics reflect the goodness we are called to live out?

3. Jesus calls His followers “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5: 13). What do you think He meant by this? How does salt relate to the way we live out our faith?

4. Jesus also calls us “the light of the world” (Matthew 5: 14-16). What are some ways we can be a light in our daily lives?

5. In verse 16, Jesus says that our good works should glorify God. How do we make sure our actions point to God and not just to ourselves?

6. In what ways can we preserve (like salt) and illuminate (like light) God's truth and love in our communities?

7. Jesus calls us to let our goodness shine in a way that draws others to God. What’s one practical step you can take this week to reflect Christ’s goodness to those around you?

8. What do you need from God to live as salt and light this week?

9. Who in your life needs to experience God’s goodness, and how can you be part of that?

Prayer for the Week:

Gracious God, You have called us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Help us to live out Your goodness in all that we do. May our words be seasoned with grace, our actions reflect Your love and our lives shine brightly for Your glory. When the world feels dark, let us be a light. When others are in need, help us to be generous. When we face challenges, remind us that Your goodness sustains us. May we bring flavor to a world that longs for hope and shines with the love of Christ wherever we go. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Read Luke 10: 25-37.

1. What do you think the lawyer's motivation was for asking Jesus, "What

must I do to inherit eternal life?" How might this question reflect our

own attitudes toward faith?

2. Jesus asked the lawyer, "What is written in the Law?" How would you

answer this question in your own life today?

3. In what ways can loving God and loving neighbor become a tangible

expression of your faith in everyday life?

4. What is the difference between "works righteousness" and loving

others because we are already saved? How does this impact the way

we love others?

5. Why do you think Jesus chose a Samaritan as the hero of the parable?

How does this challenge your understanding of who your neighbor is?

6. In what ways do we often judge others based on their differences,

similar to how the priest and Levite passed by the man in need?

7. What does it mean to "love your neighbor as yourself" in practical

terms, especially when those neighbors are different from you?

8. How do you "read" or interpret the command to love God and love

your neighbor? How does your understanding of this shape your

actions toward others?

9. Jesus emphasizes mercy and grace throughout this parable. How can

we extend these qualities to those around us, even when they don't

"deserve" it?

10. As we reflect on Lent and the command to "go and do likewise," what

specific actions can you take to embody mercy, grace and love in your

relationships with others moving forward?

Prayer for the Week:

Gracious and Loving God, as we journey through this season of Lent, we

thank You for the powerful example of mercy and grace You have shown

us in Jesus Christ. Help us to reflect Your love in all that we do, especially

as we interact with those who are different from us. Teach us to love not

just with words, but with tangible actions that reflect the mercy and grace

we have received from You. May our hearts be softened, our minds open,

and our hands ready to serve, as we become A Little More Like Jesus each

day. We pray for Your strength and wisdom to guide us in loving our

neighbors, just as You have loved us. We pray all of this in the strong

name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God,

now and forever. Amen.