Study Questions - An Offer of a Fresh Start

Date: December 5, 2004
Passage: Matthew 3:1-12
Message: The Offer of a Fresh Start
Series: Christmas [1]

From time to time every one of us wants the opportunity of a fresh start. Share a time when you were able to do just that. Why is it so important for us?

Read Matthew 3:4-10
List of some things that might make John the Baptist “out of bounds” in most Churches today.

These are days of “user friendly” Churches. You don’t hear too much of words like ‘sin’ ‘repentance’ ‘judgement’.
How can we be a welcoming place and yet remain true to the gospel?
How can we preach truth in a politically correct society?

Read 1 Peter 2:11-12
Share anything from these verses that stands out to you.
What does it mean –“……though they accuse you of doing wrong”?
What do we believe or do that is so different from the world?
Have we become too assimilated to the world?

“………that they may see your good works”
What might they be?

Read Matthew 3:1-3; 11-12
Quote – ‘Under-neath the tinsel of the season, the reality we long to know in our bones is heard in the wilderness: “The Kingdom of heaven is near….”’
Discuss

What is repentance?
Why is it impossible to experience the new life Jesus brings us without repentance?
Why did Jesus come down so hard on the religious people?

You cannot get to see Jesus before you listen to John.
How did / does he prepare us for Jesus?