Every Day is a New Day – Week 3

New Challenges

Matthew 17:14-21

 Helpless Brokenness

Fearful Father

(Mt 17:14-16; Mk 9:24; Php 4:6; 1 Pt 5:7)

Skeptical Crowd

(Mt 17:17-18; 12:39; 16:4; Jon 1:3-17)

Unbelieving Disciples

(Mt 17:19-20; 16:17; 10:8)

Despair threatens to overwhelm our faith too by pointing out how we fail to change or improve, suggesting that God neither cares for us nor has power to help. However, Jesus does not linger in the glory of the transfiguration, but graciously descends to a world of despair and doubt so that He might deliver us. (Lutheran Study Bible)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Read Matthew 17:14-21

Head

• Why is the father fearful? Why is the crowd skeptical? Why are the disciples unbelieving? What challenges are they facing?
• How did Jesus approach, encounter, and speak to each of these characters? 

Heart

• How do you relate to each of the characters in this narrative? Fearful father, skeptical crowd, unbelieving disciples?
• As a group, share some passages or sayings of Jesus that encourage you when you feel fearful, skeptical, and unbelieving. 

Hands

• As a group, stop the conversation and pray for those people in your life that you know are experiencing fear, skepticism, and unbelief. 
• What is God putting on your heart right now to say to those people in your life? 

Next Steps

• Everyday with Jesus is better with other people. Connect in a Life Group at oslc.com/lifegroups.
• Bust those Midwinter Blues by volunteering at OSLC’s Midwinter Shindig! go.oslc.com/shindigvolunteer.
• Invite somebody to join you for worship, next week as we wrestle with some New Challenges