Stu Quackenbush // Rockford Campus // January 19, 2025

SMALL GROUP
DISCUSSION GUIDE

THIS WEEK’S KEY PASSAGE: Luke 13:22–30

REMINDERS

WINTER BIBLE STUDIES (Beginning the week of January 12, 2025)

Both Men’s and Women’s Winter Bible Studies begin this week at the Rockford and Northview campuses. Registration for each is open on the events page of the website.

LEADER DEVELOPMENT CLASS (Sundays, 6–7pm – Rockford Campus, “The Pond” downstairs by the library)

We’ve had some terrific LDC’s covering the topic of how to navigate Crucial Conversations. Thank you to the leaders who have been able to make it!

Our next Leadership Development Class will kick off on Sunday, February 2nd as we begin looking at leadership principles from Paul David Tripp’s Lead. We’ll have books available for those who want to read along, or simply join us to talk about the principles we can all learn and apply as leaders in our church, homes, and communities.

Jan 26: No Sunday nights due to Ignite (Friday, January 24)
Feb 2: We’ll begin a series on Lead by Paul David Tripp

TOGETHER IN LIFE

Who are you rooting for in the NFL playoffs now that the Lions are out? What is your dream Super Bowl game matchup?

TOGETHER IN THE WORD

THIS WEEK’S KEY PASSAGE: Luke 13:22–30

Note: If you are meeting as a group, we encourage you to read the entire text together out loud.

KEY QUESTION:

• Have you been sure to enter through the “Narrow Door” of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ? What gives you confidence that your faith is real?

GOING DEEPER:

This week’s passage records Jesus speaking to the people about the coming judgment and Hell. At the beginning of the sermon, Stu urged us to remember that God is love and that He wrote the Bible to us in love, so we can trust Him to tell us hard but necessary things.

He also reminded us that while judgment and hell can be challenging to talk about, we can do so with hope. In John 3:16, Jesus tells us that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This means that the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life is available to everyone who will receive it. Understanding this allows us to talk through these difficult topics with hope, grace, and truth.

Strive to Enter

Stu explained that the word “strive” in verse 24 can be best understood as to fight, compete, agonize, or work hard. In other words, there is intentional exertion and effort on our part. Or as Stu put it, salvation is a gift from God, but there is work to be done. Our lives must reflect a living and genuine rebirth and relationship with Jesus as He makes us more and more into His image and a dedication to living as He commands.

QUESTIONS:

• Does the idea of striving for our salvation seem at odds with the gospel of salvation by grace through faith?
• Read 1 John 2:1-6. If we must strive to live out our salvation, can we still have hope when we sin?
• What does 1 John 2:1-6 suggest about our actions, thoughts, efforts, and lifestyle in light of God’s free gift of salvation?

The Closed Door

In Luke 13:25-28 we see that “many” will wait until the door of salvation has been shut to finally knock and try to enter. We also see their confusion at being left out: “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.” But Jesus tells them, “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!”

These people felt like they’d lived close to Christ and in His presence, but He responds that He doesn’t even know them. We could just as easily read these verses in Luke as saying “We attended your church and grew up in a Christian family!” Yet Christ says that just being involved in the things of Him is not enough. We must have a personal relationship with Him through repentance and rebirth.

QUESTIONS:

• How does this passage make you feel?
• Read John 15:1-11. What do Jesus’ words suggest about knowing Him and being known by Him?
• Has there ever been a season of your life when you felt like being involved in church and being part of a Christian family was enough for you? Share either how your view has changed or how this week’s Scripture passage challenges this view.

A Right View of Salvation

J.D. Greear wrote, “The Enemy loves to keep truly saved believers unsure of their salvation because he knows that if he does they’ll never experience the freedom, joy, and confidence that God wants them to have. But he also loves to keep those on their way to hell deluded into thinking they are on their way to heaven, their consciences immunized from Jesus’ plan to repent.”

Those who have repented of their sins and asked Christ to be their Savior can rest in the love of God and the assurance of their salvation. All those who have not, can enter into new life with Jesus right now.

QUESTIONS:

• Read John 10:27-30. What truths do Jesus’ words tell us about our union with Him?
• Read Acts 16:30-34. How can we, or the people in our lives, be saved?
• What next steps or actions does thinking about the reality of judgment and hell, as well as the free gift of salvation available to everyone who believes, inspire you to take?

TOGETHER IN ACTION

This week, take time to reflect on the sincerity of your faith. Evaluate the fruit in your life and rely on the Word of God, Spirit of God, and people of God for wisdom.

Rest in Jesus! Believe in Him. Trust that He is mighty to save and that His grace redeems all who come to Him in faith.

TOGETHER IN PRAYER

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.” – Romans 10:9-11

Pray together as a group:

• If you have not yet repented and received new life from Jesus, you can pray right now to do so.
• Pray that God will give you joy and confidence in His gift of salvation.
• Pray that you will live out this gift with a zeal for loving Christ and sharing His good news with the people in your life.
• Pray for eyes to see the people around you who need to know Christ and a heart to humbly care about their salvation.
• Pray for all of those in your life who do not yet know Christ, that their hearts will become soft. Pray for the courage to share the good news of Jesus with them.