5.2.21 HUDDLE

Zach Below   -   May 2, 2021

INTRO

  1. What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, “Heard-it-all-before?”

 

  1. Is there any particular story from the Bible that you to have to fight against saying/thinking, “heard-it-all-before?”

 

 

SERIES INTRO

There are some stories that we become so familiar with that when we hear them our brains kind of shift to auto-pilot. Stories that we’ve heard so many times that we can’t help but feel like they have nothing new to offer. We have identified this well-known phenomenon as a condition called, “Heard-It-All-Before-ism.”

This week we are kicking off a new series to help battle this condition. Welcome to week 1 of “Overcoming Heard-It-All-Before-ism.” Throughout this series, we will look at a number of the most familiar stories from Scripture and see if these old stories have anything new to say.

 

 

BIBLE ENGAGEMENT

One of the best ways to overcome heard-it-all-before-ism is to simply be curious. As such, your groups will be doing a lot of the context work yourselves. As you read the story, challenge your group to hear it with fresh ears, look for new details and try to reappreciate the story. After you read the story, there will be a few tasks for you to accomplish as a group.

 

 

LUKE 10:30-35

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[a] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

 

  1. What sticks out to you from the story?

 

  1. What do you think is the point of this story?

 

 

GROUP TASKS – CONTEXT

  1. As a group, look up Jericho Road to see if you can find any background information about the road from Jerusalem to Jericho that would enrich the story.

 

  1. Find some background info on the difference between a “Priest” and a “Levite” in regard to this story? What are some possible reasons they left this man and simply went around him?

 

 

BIBLE ENGAMGENT 2- CONTEXT

This story does not stand alone but is a part of a larger conversation Jesus had with an expert of the law. Read the opening and see if it adds anything or changes the point of the story.

 

READ LUKE 10:25-29

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

 

 

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS

  1. What stands out to you from the text?

 

  1. What do you observe or learn about Jesus from this story?

 

 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

  1. Does Jesus ever actually answer the man’s question, “who is my neighbor?” If so, how?

 

Leader Note: It could be argued that Jesus never actually answers the man’s question. Instead, Jesus sort of flips the situation on the man and makes him (and us) consider the question, “Are you being a good neighbor?”

 

  1. Why do you think verse 29 points out that the man “wanted to justify himself?” How is that addressed in the story?

 

  1. Do any of us (or would any of us) actually live up to the care that the Samaritan man gave this unknown and unnamed wounded person? Are any of us THAT kind of neighbor?

 

  1. In light of that, Look back over the story, is it possible that it is less about being a nice person that does good works and more about our failures to justify ourselves?

 

  1. If one of the main points of the story is Jesus addressing this man’s attempt to justify himself, what is Jesus showing the man/us through this story? How does it reflect the message of the gospel?

 

Leader note: Maybe I am a worse person that most, but it’s hard for me to believe that ANYONE would give a stranger this type of care . . . especially on a regular basis. Jesus is showing this expert of the law that the priests don’t measure up, the Levites don’t measure up, WE don’t measure up. Jesus is calling us to admit that we don’t measure up and that is why we need a savior. That is the gospel message, we will never earn it, we can only accept it.

 

 

  • Ask If there are any final thoughts/questions about this story.

 

CLOSE IN PRAYER