Jun 12, 2022 | Travis Cook

Sermon Response Guide

Guia del Sermon en Espanol


PRIMARY SCRIPTURE: 
Matthew 8:5-13 ESV

5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.


Key Points

  • Humility is a proper perspective of reality – understanding where we actually stand in relationship to others now and throughout history.
  • Pride distorts reality – elevating us and our own accomplishments while diminishing others and their accomplishments.
  • Faith is rooted in humility. Faith begins with acknowledging our need and lack, then believing God for more.
  • Faith is extremely valuable – it’s the difference between those who get to dine at the Messiah’s table and those who are excluded.
  • By grace, God accepts all of us who place our faith in Jesus. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the most inclusive exclusivity.
  • Faith is believing Jesus can do what Jesus says he will do.
  • One of the most powerful results that comes from faith – trusting and relying on Jesus – is that he is going to finish the good work in us. Jesus will not give up on us.

Memory Verse

Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”
-Proverbs 11:2 ESV

Questions for Reflection

Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
 
1: God loves humble beginnings – taking small, unsuspecting things that don’t make any sense and using them for his glory.
· How have you experienced God do this in your own life?

2: What do pride and humility have to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ?
 
3: Why is faith so valuable in the Kingdom of God?
 
4: In your own life, how does pride get in the way of you living by faith?
 
5: The gospel of Jesus Christ should be invested and worked into every single facet of our lives. Pause, pray, and seriously consider what it would look like for the gospel to permeate each of the following areas of your life. As you do, write down what God shows you.
· Work
· Family
· Friendships
· Romantic relationships
· Personal identity
· Hobbies
· Free time
· Health
· Finances

6: Based on your responses above – and from a posture of humility – where do you most need Jesus to grow your faith this week?

Pray

Lord, we confess we so often live with a distorted view of reality. Pride always leads to disgrace, but wisdom demonstrates itself through humility. Lord, make us humble. Give us ears to hear the words you spoke to the centurion years ago, “let it be done for you as you have believed.” Help us believe – not in ourselves, nor in the people and things around us – but in you. Help us believe in you, Jesus.

 

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