NT260 • Set 11

Small Group Discussion Questions

Icebreaker

1. When have you experienced someone showing you unexpected compassion, kindness, or help at exactly the right time?

Digging Into the Text

2. In Luke 7, the Roman centurion believed Jesus could heal his servant simply by speaking. What did the centurion understand about Jesus’ authority that amazed Jesus?
3. Jesus responded with compassion when He saw the widow grieving the death of her only son. What does this encounter reveal about the relationship between Jesus’ compassion and His authority?
4. John the Baptist sent messengers to ask whether Jesus was truly the One who was to come. How did Jesus answer John’s doubts, and what can we learn from the way He responded?
5. The sinful woman wept at Jesus’ feet while Simon the Pharisee silently judged her. What differences do you see between the woman’s response to Jesus and Simon’s response?
6. Jesus said that the one who is forgiven much loves much. How does understanding the depth of God’s forgiveness shape gratitude, worship, and love?
7. In the parable of the soils, why does the same seed produce such different results? What do the different soils teach us about hearing and responding to God’s Word?
8. Jesus said His true family consists of those who hear God’s Word and obey it. Why is obedience an essential part of genuinely hearing Scripture?
9. In Luke 8, Jesus displays authority over a storm, demons, chronic sickness, and death. What do these miracles reveal about the scope of His authority?
10. The disciples were terrified during the storm even though Jesus was with them. What fears make it difficult for us to trust Jesus’ presence and authority?
11. After Jesus delivered the demon-possessed man, He told him to return home and tell what God had done for him. What does this teach us about the connection between personal transformation and gospel witness?
12. Jairus had to continue trusting Jesus after receiving news that his daughter had died. What does this account teach us about faith when circumstances appear to grow worse rather than better?
13. In Luke 9, Jesus gave the Twelve authority and sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God. Why do you think He required them to depend on God rather than carefully securing everything they might need?
14. After Peter confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus immediately spoke about His suffering, death, and resurrection. Why is it important to understand Jesus not only as a powerful King, but also as the suffering Savior?
15. Jesus said that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him. What does daily cross-bearing look like in ordinary life?
16. At the Transfiguration, the Father said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” Why is listening to Jesus central to discipleship?
17. The disciples argued about which of them was the greatest. How did Jesus use a child to challenge their understanding of greatness?
18. James and John wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus. What does their response reveal about the danger of having zeal without sharing the heart of Jesus?
19. In Luke 10, Jesus sent the seventy-two disciples ahead of Him. What did their mission teach them about dependence, urgency, hospitality, rejection, and spiritual authority?
20. Jesus told the returning disciples not to rejoice primarily that spirits submitted to them, but that their names were written in heaven. Why must our identity in God’s grace remain more important than our ministry success?
21. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, what barriers did the Samaritan cross in order to love the wounded man? How does Jesus challenge narrow definitions of who deserves our compassion?
22. Martha was distracted by serving while Mary sat listening at Jesus’ feet. What is the danger of doing many good things while neglecting attentive fellowship with Jesus?
23. In Luke 11, what does Jesus’ model prayer teach us about God’s name, God’s kingdom, daily dependence, forgiveness, temptation, and our relationships with others?
24. What do Jesus’ teachings about persistence in prayer reveal about how He wants His followers to approach the Father?
25. Jesus confronted people who demanded more signs while resisting the truth already before them. How can someone appear spiritually interested while remaining unwilling to repent or obey?
26. Jesus rebuked religious leaders for appearing clean outwardly while remaining full of greed, pride, and injustice inwardly. What warnings do these words give to people who know Scripture and participate in religious activity?
27. Across Luke 7–11, what repeated contrasts do you see between faith and unbelief, compassion and judgment, hearing and resisting, dependence and self-sufficiency, or outward religion and inward transformation?

Leader Note

These chapters reveal both the authority of Jesus and the different ways people respond to Him. Some approach Him with humble faith. Others respond with gratitude, repentance, worship, or obedient witness. Still others remain distracted, fearful, self-righteous, demanding, or resistant.

Help your group see that Jesus’ authority is never cold or detached. He uses His power compassionately—healing the sick, raising the dead, calming frightened disciples, delivering the oppressed, welcoming outsiders, and forgiving sinners. At the same time, His compassion does not remove His call to repentance, obedience, dependence, and faithful discipleship.

Encourage the group to move beyond simply admiring what Jesus did. These readings call us to hear His Word carefully, trust Him in fear and uncertainty, depend on the Father through prayer, love people across dividing lines, and join Jesus in His mission.

Love God

29. What truth about Jesus’ authority, compassion, forgiveness, or faithfulness encouraged you most this week?
30. Which response to Jesus in these chapters best describes your heart right now: trusting, grateful, distracted, fearful, doubtful, resistant, or eager to obey?
31. Is there an area where Jesus is asking you to trust His authority even though you cannot control or understand the outcome?
32. What would it look like for you to listen more carefully to Jesus and respond more obediently to His Word?

Connect with Others

33. Have fear, distraction, judgment, pride, or impatience affected the way you have treated someone this week?
34. Who around you may feel overlooked, rejected, grieving, burdened, or spiritually far from God?
35. Is there someone you need to forgive, encourage, welcome, reconcile with, or listen to more carefully?
36. How can this group help one another hear God’s Word, remain faithful under pressure, and trust Jesus through difficult circumstances?

Serve Others

37. The Good Samaritan allowed compassion to interrupt his plans. Who might God be calling you to notice and serve this week?
38. Is there a practical need you have seen but avoided because helping would require time, inconvenience, money, humility, or emotional energy?
39. How can you serve faithfully without becoming so distracted by activity that you neglect time with Jesus?

Share the Gospel

40. Jesus sent His followers to proclaim the kingdom and tell others what God had done. What part of your own story could help someone understand the grace and authority of Jesus?
41. What fears, excuses, or distractions make it difficult for you to speak about Jesus?
42. Who is one person you can intentionally pray for, move toward with compassion, and point to Jesus this week?

Closing Challenge

Jesus reveals His authority through compassion, calls people to respond with faith, and teaches His followers to hear His Word, depend on God, love others, and live faithfully on mission.

The centurion trusted Jesus’ word. A grieving widow experienced His compassion. A sinful woman responded with grateful worship. The disciples learned to trust Him in storms, depend on Him in ministry, listen to His teaching, love across dividing lines, and seek the Father through prayer.

Others heard the same truth but responded with fear, distraction, pride, judgment, or resistance.

Where is Jesus calling you to move from fear to faith, distraction to devotion, self-sufficiency to dependence, judgment to compassion, passive hearing to obedience, or silence to faithful witness?

Small Group Accountability

Weekly Heart Check

How to Use These Questions

These questions are designed to move the conversation beyond information and into transformation. Answer honestly, listen well, pray for one another, and remember that the goal is not perfection, but growing together as disciples who trust Jesus, hear His Word, depend on God, love others, and live faithfully on mission.

Love God

1. How has your time in God’s Word and prayer been this week?
2. What did Luke 7–11 reveal to you about Jesus?
3. Have you been hearing God’s Word with a receptive heart and responding with obedience?
4. What fear, doubt, disappointment, or unanswered question do you need to bring honestly to Jesus?
5. Have busyness or distraction kept you from sitting attentively at Jesus’ feet?

Connect with Others

6. Have your relationships reflected patience, compassion, humility, and grace this week?
7. Have you judged, ignored, dismissed, or avoided someone Jesus may be calling you to love?
8. Is there anyone you need to forgive, encourage, reconcile with, welcome, or serve?
9. Have you been honest with another believer about your fears, struggles, temptations, or burdens?

Serve Others

10. How have you used your time, gifts, influence, or resources to serve someone this week?
11. Did you allow compassion to interrupt your schedule when someone needed help?
12. Have comfort, busyness, fear, prejudice, inconvenience, or self-focus kept you from serving faithfully?

Share the Gospel

13. Did you intentionally pray for someone who may be far from God this week?
14. Did you have an opportunity to tell someone what Jesus has done for you?
15. If so, what happened?
16. If not, who is one person you can intentionally pray for and move toward this week?

Prayer and Dependence

17. What need, decision, relationship, or burden are you trying to carry without depending on God?
18. Have you prayed persistently while continuing to trust the Father’s goodness?
19. Is there someone you need to forgive as you ask God for forgiveness?
20. Where do you need God’s help to resist temptation and walk faithfully this week?

Honest Accountability

21. What fear, distraction, pride, judgment, unbelief, selfishness, or hidden sin has been most difficult this week?
22. Is your outward spiritual life hiding anything that needs to be confessed and brought into the light?
23. Where is Jesus calling you to trust, repent, forgive, obey, serve, or speak?
24. How can this group specifically pray for you today?

Leader Reminder: Keep pointing the group back to Jesus. He possesses complete authority, yet He moves toward people with compassion. He welcomes humble faith, forgives repentant sinners, strengthens imperfect disciples, teaches dependence on the Father, and sends ordinary people to participate in His mission. Encourage the group to move beyond admiring Jesus toward trusting His authority, hearing His Word, loving others, depending on God, and living as faithful witnesses.