Sermon Cloud

Real Greatness

What is the path to real greatness?

The world says, “Exalt Yourself and Use Others.”

Jesus’ Answer is “Deny Yourself and Serve Others.”

Sermon Questions for  Mark 9:33-37

IF YOU PLAN ON USING THESE QUESTIONS in June, July or August, whether for personal study or group study, please email me at dfuquay@jacksonvillechapel.org.  If I receive no emails, we will suspend sermon questions beginning June 1^st.

SPECIFIC PRAYER  (suggestions)

            Pray for the moms in your group and your own mothers.  Also, please spend time in prayer over those women who may be experiencing a crisis pregnancy or not receiving support for their motherhood.

SCRIPTURE AND SHARING

Crawl:

Tell us about your mother.  What is one thing that you truly appreciate about her being in your life?

What was the best way you ever said thank you to a mother in your life?

Walk:

Read Mark 9:33-37

If you are a mother, what make you think it is an incredibly high calling? What do you really appreciate about being a mother?  What are the unique challenges about being a mother?

Is arguing always a bad thing?  Sometimes the Lord uses it in different ways, like Acts 15:2. What is the proper response when we fall into sharp dispute with other Christians (Matt 18 and 1 Cor 6)?

One of the advantages of being a first century Christian was that as they went form place to place, they were bale to spend time talking about he Lord and His Word, how can we recapture some of that advantage today?

Can you imagine arguing about who is the greatest in front of the greatest? What do you think the Lord thinks about some of our arrogant conversations today?

Proverbs 8:3 tells us that the Lord hates arrogance and how to avoid it.  Why is pride and arrogance so seductive?  What makes us want to glorify ourselves over God? (1 Tim 3:1)

When Jesus confronted those disciples—when he asked them what they were arguing about—why were they embarrassed to answer him? Why were they ashamed to say it? (Because they knew it wasn’t right! They knew it wasn’t a healthy or appropriate to argue about who was the greatest. And yet they did it anyway! Why?)

What does arrogance and pride have in common with insecurity and low self-esteem?

Jesus gave us several ways to make sure we are truly great.  The first, found in verse 35, is self-denial.  What does self denial look like in your life?  In the this community?  What will it look like this next week for you?  Can we hold you accountable to that?

How do you practice self-denial? (placing yourself last, others before you, and God first)

Dave Gustavsen talked about 2 different types of placing others first, denial of being in control of your life and denial of being recognized for your work.( Matthew 6:1-4)  Which one is more difficult for you and why?

Jesus said, “If you welcome a little child…” What does it mean to “welcome” a child? (It means to pay attention to them, and value them, and serve them.)

Run:

Would you say you had/have a good relationship with your mother? What made it good? 

SERVICE (fodder for ideas)

This sermon focused on placing others first and being a servant, much likes mothers are all year around.  How can this group become passionate and excited about serving together? What would God call us to do?