Gathering

1. Choose one

    1. Name a time when you were on a team that just couldn’t get along as teammates. How did the “strife” affect the team’s success? Were you able to overcome it?
    2. Describe a time when you were doing your best to help someone, and your motives were improperly questioned. How did you respond? Were you able to resolve the misunderstanding?

Backstory

This story occurs near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. While determined to get to Jerusalem where he would be crucified (Luke 9:51), Jesus never lost sight of serving the needs of people he encounters along the way.

Not to be overlooked in this story of how and why Jesus casts out demons (Luke 11:14-26) is a woman who praises Jesus’ actions (11:27-28). She does so by inferring that God’s blessing for women is based solely on her birthing and nursing children. This takes us back to Genesis 3:20 where the male (adam in Hebrew, derived from adamah, meaning, “of the red earth”) claims dominion of the female adam by continuing the “naming” task (Genesis 2:19). Jesus quickly corrects this tragic misreading of the Creation story and points us to where our real value lies.

God’s Story

Have someone read Luke 11: 14-28 aloud, in a couple of different Bible translations. Note that Beelzebul, or Beelzebub (depending on your translation), are used as synonyms for the evil ruler, Satan.

Finding My Story in God’s Story

2. If you had been a lawyer watching Jesus cast out the demon and seeing the crowd’s response, how do you see yourself responding?

    1. Supporting Jesus—standing against the crowd.
    2. Siding with his accusers, claiming this is a trick of Satan.
    3. Amazed; just wondering what in the world just happened!
    4. Not taking sides—don’t want to get involved in this dangerous argument.
    5. Other ______________.

3. Why do you think some in the crowd wanted Jesus to do another “miraculous sign” for them?

    1. They always wanted a new trick.
    2. They hoped he would heal something in their life.
    3. They hoped he would fail because he was a threat to their position and power.
    4. They were stalling for time until they could figure out what was going on.
    5. Other _____________.

 

4. What point of Jesus’ argument about a “divided kingdom” makes the most sense to you? Which of Jesus’ arguments confuses you (and the crowds)? Can you give an example where you have experienced a “divided kingdom?”

5. How might Luke’s description in verses 24-26 relate to your struggles to make lasting changes in your life?

    1. I’d better pay more attention to who Jesus is asking me to be.
    2. I need a group of people around me to help me change for the better.
    3. This is scary. How can I avoid going back to how I used to live?
    4. This is my story! My efforts to change always seemed to backfire.
    5. Other ____________.

6. Jesus declares that his ability to cast out demons and restore the man’s speech (Luke 11:14) is a sign that God’s Kingdom has arrived (11:20). How might the truth of God’s Kingdom arrival impact your work this coming week?

7. Why do you think there is such a contrast between the people’s response to Jesus in verses 15-16, and the woman in verse 27?

    1. The crowd was into “mob-bullying.”
    2. The woman was excited that someone finally confronted the crowd that had devalued her for so long.
    3. Something about Jesus’ statements let the woman know that she could trust Jesus.
    4. Other ____________.

8. Jesus declared that God’s blessing in life, our value to God, is not based on our gender, race, social status, or accomplishments but on our putting into practice his teachings. How can that be good news to you?

    1. I’ve never believed I was that
    2. It seems like Jesus’ statement has freed both women and men.
    3. I see that I can be more than just what I do.
    4. I can trust Jesus to help me practice what I know about doing right.
    5. Other ___________.

Our Story

9. Who in this group has shared an insight that could change your life? ________ .

Give that person a ONE-sentence statement of thanks.

10. As men, we have the chance to make huge changes in the valuing of the women we know. What will you do this week to show value to the women in your life?

11. How can this group support you this week in being a person who practices what you’ve heard from God’s Word?