Central Truth: Take care of your spiritual health and leave judgment to God.
Luke 6:37-42 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 - Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
39 - He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 - A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41 - "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 - How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Read Verses 37-38.
- What is the essence of Jesus’ teaching in these verses?
- How would you define/explain these words?
- Judge
- Condemn
- Forgive
- Give
- What does Jesus mean when He says that the way we give will come back to us?
- How have you found this to be true?
- What does this kind of generous living have to do with refusal to judge and condemn?
- How hard is all of this?
Read Verses 39-40.
- What are some ways that “the blind try to lead the blind” in our day and time?
- Are there some areas in which you are blind?
- What are the dangers?
- What does verse 40 mean to you? How can we be fully trained to be like our teacher?
Read Verses 41-42.
- What are some ways that we are guilty of what Jesus describes here?
- Where does the concept of pride fit in here and how is it a hindrance to our spiritual health and ministry to others?
- How can we avoid this pitfall?
- What does this teach us about the importance of taking care of our spiritual health for the sake of others? How does the idea of humility fit in here?
- What will you do this week for your spiritual health?
Luke 6: 43-45 – Fruit and Thorns
Central Truth: Take care of your spiritual health and leave judgment to God.
43 - "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 - Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 - The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
- What factors determine the nature of the fruit a tree bears (genetics, soil, etc…)? What factors determine the nature of the fruit a Christian bears?
- Describe “good fruit” vs. “bad fruit.”
- How is fruit recognized? What are some outward ways Christians are ‘known” by the world and/or by other Christians? Don’t give “Sunday School” answers here. Dig deep.
- Paraphrase and apply verse 44.
- Paraphrase and apply verse 45.
- What does it mean to store “good things” or “bad things” in ones heart? What are some good things you want to store in your heart? How can and will you do so?
- Have you ever experienced speaking out of the overflow of your heart? Describe the experience.
- Develop a group strategy for encouraging good fruit in each others lives.
