Watch
Before you watch the episode, ask folks to offer up highlights from Episode One.
Discuss
To start your time of discussion, take a moment to read the Gospel passage at the heart of this episode: Luke 9:1-5.
Place yourself in the room as one of the disciples Jesus is sending out to preach and to heal. How would you respond to this commissioning and why? (A follow-up question: Most of us would push back, insisting we’re the wrong person for the job. What reasons would you be tempted to offer up as reasons Jesus might not want to send you out?)
What does Jesus say in this episode—and in the Gospel passage we just listened to—that calms your anxiety over being sent out?
For Question #2, you might want to take a moment to read another Gospel passage that inspired this episode: Matthew 10:1-42. It offers even more reasons for our anxieties to be calmed.
What do you think it looks like for you—in your specific circumstances—to preach the kingdom? And what do you think it looks like for you to bring healing?
Tell us about a time when you were sent out by God to preach and to heal and you saw great things happen. Why do you think such breakthrough occurred? What did God do? What did you do? And maybe more importantly: what didn’t you do, allowing you to get “out of the way” for God?
5. Let’s look at an imagined scene from this episode: the moment Matthew and his parents find reconciliation. You could argue Matthew needed to deal with this painful relational matter before he was sent out. Why might that be the case for him (or even for you)?
6. Let’s look at a second imagined scene: the conversation between Jesus and Little James. As with Matthew, you could argue Little James needed to deal with this painful matter before he was sent out. Why might that be the case for him (or even for you)?
Pray
See the Discussion Guide for Season 3, Episode One for notes on our suggested approach to group prayer.
Closing Question #1
If you were to offer a word of thanks to God for something that comforted you in this episode, what would it be?
Closing Question #2
If you were to ask God’s help in living life in a new way in light of this episode, how would you sum up this new way of life?