Takeaway Truth from Sunday’s message – Blessed are those who can’t pray worth a darn.

What stuck with you from Sunday’s teaching? Why?

A beatitude is a statement declaring who it is that is ‘blessed’. How are people who can’t pray worth a darn blessed in the Kingdom Jesus describes?

Read Genesis 18:23-33. What observations do you make about this ‘prayer’ session? What assumptions does this challenge about God or prayer? What might it affirm?

Read Luke 18:1-8. Again, what does this reveal about God and prayer?

What do you think of the statement, “God wants to be pestered/bothered.” Why do you think God listens to people, bargains with them, or even takes time to converse with them?

​What would a church-community look like (what kinds of practices or postures) that was built around blessing those who struggle to pray? Are these things you can see at Vox? Can you think of ways we could move closer to this?

Takeaway Truth from Sunday’s message – Blessed are the unfeeling (but faithful).

What stuck with you from Sunday’s teaching? Why?

A beatitude is a statement declaring who it is that is ‘blessed’. How are people who have a complicated relationship with feelings still blessed in the kingdom?

Read Galatians 5:22-23. How are these markers of the presence of God different from our feelings?

What would be different in your life if you measured your closeness to God by these instead of your feelings?

Read Amos 5:13-14, 21-24. What is God saying about worship and how we express ourselves?

What do you think of the statement, “Feelings make great teachers but terrible masters.”? What do we need to affirm about feelings? What do we need to be cautious about?

​What would a church-community look like (what kinds of practices or postures) that was built around blessing those who have a variety of feelings and abilities to express them? Are these things you can see at Vox? Can you think of ways we could move closer to this?

Takeaway Truth from Sunday’s message – Blessed are those who long for more.
 
Bible Passages -  Luke 2:19; John 14:1-3; John 14:27; Hosea 2:19; John 3:28-30; Ephesians 5:31-32;
1 Cor 6:19-20; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 19:6-9
 
What stuck with you from Sunday’s teaching? Why?

What do you think of the statement, “Your feelings have nothing to do with whether God loves you or is present in your life”?

How would describe your current sense of satisfaction in your relationship with God? Has there been a time when this was different for you?

A beatitude is a statement declaring who it is that is ‘blessed’. How can dissatisfaction be a blessing?

Read John 14:1-3. What kind of relationship is Jesus describing here between himself and his followers?

​What are some of the challenges and/or benefits of this arrangement?

What would a church-community look like (what kinds of practices or postures) that was built around blessing those who long for more? Are these things you can see at Vox? Can you think of ways we could move closer to this?

Takeaway Truth from Sunday’s message — 
Bible Passages - Matthew 5:1-12
 
What stuck with you from Sunday’s teaching? Why?

Can you describe a time when you felt like an outsider or ‘misfit’?

A beatitude is a statement declaring who it is that is ‘blessed’. What kind of people are considered ‘blessed’ by our culture’s standards?

Read Matthew 5:1-12. These are the beatitudes taught by Jesus. How does this list of who is ‘blessed’ compare with the answer to the previous question?

What would a church-community look like (what kinds of practices or postures) that was built around the beatitudes of Jesus? Are these things you can see at Vox? Can you think of ways we could move closer to the Reality Jesus describes?

​What is it you appreciate about God (Father/Son/Spirit) as revealed these passages?