Seeing Beyond The Darkness | Garden Ridge Church

Seeing Beyond the Darkness--Lesson 1--Are You Having a Bad Day?

Discussion Questions:

Why does God allow us to experience terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days? How do these kinds of days strip away your hope, peace and joy?
How helpful is it to know that God entered our world with a specific plan to experience the darkness so that He could overcome it for us?
How does what Jesus did on “Good Friday” provide us the means to see the “Good” in every day?
How does being reminded that it is God who holds the sword or the storm or the difficult situation help you to have peace in the midst of this fallen world with all of its troubles?
How have your experiences in life shown that “There is none like the God of Jeshurun” as Moses states in Deuteronomy 33:26?

Discussion Questions:

What makes forgiving people difficult?
How important is being forgiven for ignorance? What role has not knowing what you were doing played in your treatment of Jesus?
How have you seen prayer change things? What are some of the changes that take place as a result of Jesus praying from the cross?
How does Jesus’ continual prayer for forgiveness help us to see that forgiveness is more of a process than a one-time act?
How would forgiveness be affected if we saw people as not knowing what they are doing?

Discussion Questions:

What are some ways in which God demonstrates His sovereignty and love in the midst of the crucifixion? How important is it for you that God makes sure Jesus does not die alone?
From this story of Jesus hanging between two thieves, how far is God willing to reach into your life to rescue you?
In what ways have you treated Jesus like a spare tire? What can you do to avoid falling into this?
What fear do you have of standing up for Jesus against the crowd? What kinds of things helped the thief to develop the courage that he did?
How has following Jesus provided more than you thought you would receive when you first called upon Him?
How did Jesus and the thief who called upon Him both see beyond the darkness?

Discussion Questions:

What challenges have you had dealing with the world while associating yourself with the cross of Jesus? What helps you have courage to stand boldly with Him?
How does it help you to deal with trials and challenges when you see that the mother of Jesus faced so many experiences of anxiety and difficulty?
What does it say to you that Jesus did not call upon His own brothers to provide care for His mother? How is His blood thicker than family ties?
What does the creation of Jesus’ new family mean to you? What responsibilities do you see are yours because of Jesus’ example from the cross?
How well do you see the church (Jesus’ new family) providing for the needs and offering hope to others who come before Him at the foot of the cross? What are some things that could be done differently or better?

Discussion Questions:

What kinds of events have caused you to question God’s promises coming true, or God’s presence being in your life?
What has giving things time taught you about God working out a plan? Describe how Job learned this lesson.
How is Jesus’ feeling abandoned or forsaken on the cross the ultimate revelation that God is with us in the darkness?
Are there times when you might feel forsaken but totally be within the arms of God? Do you think this was the case for Jesus as He bore our sin upon the cross?
What does seeing Jesus as He speeds Judas along on his mission of betrayal do to your faith in God and His Kingdom plans?

Discussion Questions:

How does being thirsty set you up to do things you would not normally consider? How was this the problem for the woman at the well that Jesus encountered in John 4?
How does Jesus’ being thirsty help you?
Why is fulfilling Scripture such a priority to Jesus? How do the Scriptures provide a plan for your life?
Why is Jesus being both God and man important for the satisfying of our thirst?
What does it mean to you to see that Jesus is not surprised by anything? How does the control that Jesus shows over the whole situation of His crucifixion give you confidence in what God has planned for your life?

Discussion Questions:

1. What comfort do you get from knowing that God’s word will not return to Him empty? How does this affect the promises He makes in the Scriptures?
Jesus fulfilled the work of His Father. In what ways has your life with God through Jesus fulfilled the work of His Kingdom plan?
What are some things that have caused you to lose sight of the mission God wants you to fulfill? How can you better curb these distractions and/or appetites?
What are some things that you better understand from the Old Testament once you view them through the lens of what Jesus came and did?
What will finishing the race well entail for your personal life? What are some goals you envision completing before your time on the earth is over?

Discussion Questions:

How have things of this world made you feel as if God is not involved or in control? How does the crucifixion account show You God’s control and involvement?
What should we learn about committing ourselves to the hands of God from stories like Daniel in the lion’s den, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace and Paul & Silas in the Philippian jail? What about stories like Abel being struck down by his brother and James being killed by Herod?
What kinds of things have you been tempted to fill your glove with that have gotten in the way of God’s ability to put His hand in your life?
Do you agree that the Gospel is misrepresented when we say Jesus suffered so that we don’t have to? How does seeking comfort, luxury, admiration and ease hinder spiritual maturity?
How is what Jesus said and did upon the cross a model for us for how we should live according to the way of the cross?