What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this sermon?
How would you describe joy? What is something you find joy in?
Read and discuss Matthew 4:18-20 and Matthew 19:21-22. Compare and contrast these verses. What themes do you see? How are these accounts similar? How are they different? What do you note about the person of Christ? What might these sections show us about the nature of man?
“Knowledge without action robs you of true joy.” Have you found this to be true in your walk with Christ? Why or why not?
Why do we have the tendency to want to live vicariously through others’ experiences? How can this hinder our obedience to God’s word?
Have you ever had a “wipeout” in your Christian walk or ministry? What happened?
In the terms of Mike’s surf culture analogy, where are you? Evaluating the beach? On the beach and content to stay there? On the beach or in the shallows suffering from a past wipeout? Catching waves?
How does fear keep us from obedience?
How does the gospel propel and enable us to both know and obey – to both hear and do – the word of God?
