HOPE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH

Easter: The Good Catastrophe

Matthew 28:1-20
I. The Good Catastrophe: Easter’s Joyous Turn (Matthew 28:1-7)
 
II. The First Encounter: Meeting the Risen Jesus (Matthew 28:8-10) 
 
III. The Great Commission: A Resurrection Revolution (Matthew 28:11-20)
 
 Small Group Discussion Questions
1. The sermon describes a "eucatastrophe" as a sudden joyous turn from despair to victory. Can you share a personal moment in your life where you experienced a "good catastrophe"—a time when hope emerged unexpectedly from a dark situation?
 
2. Why do you think the Resurrection is described as the ultimate eucatastrophe of human history? How does this perspective shift the way you view challenges or suffering in your life? 
3. The sermon notes a cultural hunger for authentic, face-to-face relationships over superficial digital connections. How does the Christian faith, through encountering the resurrected Jesus Christ personally, answer this longing? 
 
4. The women, often overlooked in their society, were the first to proclaim the Resurrection. How does this encourage you to share the Gospel, regardless of your perceived status or qualifications? How does Jesus’ promise, “I am with you always,” empower you in this mission?
5. The religious leaders spread a lie to cover up the Resurrection. What modern-day "lies" or distractions try to bury the truth of the Resurrection in our culture? How can we counter these with the Gospel?

Palm Sunday: The Sons Are Free

Matthew 17:22-27, 21:1-11
Introduction: Hosanna to the King! (Matt. 21:1-11 / Mark 11:1-11)
I. The King Foretells His Death (Matt. 17:22-23)
II. The Temple Tax: Sons vs. Strangers (Matt. 17:24-27) 
III. Royalty: Born Again as Sons and Daughters
IV. Miraculous Provision: The Coin in the Fish
V. The Cross and Freedom: Palm Sunday’s Purpose
 Small Group Discussion Questions
The sermon describes Palm Sunday as a bittersweet moment of joy (Hosanna!) and impending sacrifice (the cross). Can you share a time in your life when you experienced both joy and grief side by side? How does Jesus’ example in Matthew 17:22-23 help you navigate those tensions?
 
The disciples were distressed by Jesus’ prediction of His death (Matt. 17:23) and didn’t grasp the promise of resurrection. Have you ever focused on a hardship and missed God’s bigger plan for you? How can we train ourselves to look for His promises in tough times?
 
Jesus teaches Peter that “the sons are free” from the temple tax (Matt. 17:25-26), pointing to our identity as God’s children. What does it mean to you personally to be a son or daughter of God rather than a stranger? How does this identity change the way you approach life’s challenges or guilt?
 
Jesus paid the temple tax to avoid causing offense (Matt. 17:27; cf. 1 Cor. 8:13). How can we balance living in our Christian freedom with being sensitive to others’ consciences? Share an example of a situation where you had to make a choice to avoid causing unnecessary offense.
 
The coin in the fish’s mouth (Matt. 17:27) shows Jesus’ power and provision, even for small needs. Can you share a story of a time God provided for you in an unexpected way? How does this miracle encourage you to trust Him with your current needs—spiritual, physical, or emotional?

Growing in Grace: Generosity

Matthew 6:19–21; 2 Corinthians 8-9Introduction (Matt 6:19–21)
Corinthian Generosity (2 Cor. 8-9)
Cheerful Generosity (2 Cor. 9:12-15) 
GIVES supplies to those in need. 
GIVES glory to God as an act of worship. 
GIVES credibility to the gospel.
Conclusion: 
 Small Group Discussion Questions
The sermon compared loving money to a drug addiction. Have you ever felt that pull in your own life? What was it like? 
How does generous “giving break the power of money?”
What do you think it means to give with “muscle memory”—to make generosity a habit? How could you start building that habit?
The sermon said that giving is an act of worship. How so? How does that idea change the way you think about putting money in the offering box or donating?
Have you ever given something—money, time, or anything else—and felt real joy from it? What happened?
How do you think our giving as a church or as individuals can “give credibility to the gospel?”

Growing in Grace: Serving

Introduction
Came to Serve (Matt. 20:20-28)
Form of a Servant (Phil. 2:3-10) 
Love in Service (John 13:1-20)
Saved to Serve 
Here to Serve
 
 Small Group Discussion Questions
How does understanding grace as “effort versus earning” change your perspective on serving God? To put it another way, what does it mean to serve out of love for God versus serving to earn His favor?
2. How does the teaching of Jesus about greatness and servanthood challenge societal views on success and greatness in his kingdom (Matt. 20:20-28)? 
3. In what ways is service to God, others, and the church truly the training ground for humility? 
4. Spurgeon says, “The child of God works not for life, but from life; he does not work to be saved, he works because he is saved. Donald Whitney says, “the people of God do not serve Him in order to be forgiven but because we are forgiven.” How does this apply to the spiritual disciplines and, particularly, a life and lifestyle of service to God and His Church? 
5. What spiritual gift has the Holy Spirit empowered within you to use to serve God and others? (1 Peter 4:10-11)

Growing in Grace: Worship

Psalm 95:1-7; Psalm 96:1-6; John 4:1-30 
What is Worship 
 
Worshipping in Spirit and Truth 
 
Worship is Public
 
Worship is Private 
 
Worship is Family-based 
 
Conclusion: Worship Transforms Us  
 Small Group Discussion Questions
 Donald Whitney says, “Worship is focusing on and responding to God.” He explains that it’s a God-centered preoccupation of the soul. Discuss.  
 
What does it mean to worship God in spirit and truth, according to John 4:24? How can we apply this in our public worship, private worship, and family worship? 
 
What are some common misconceptions about worship that can lead to self-focused worship instead of a God-centered preoccupation?
 
What you worship shapes what you are, or to put it another way, who you worship shapes who you are. How can the discipline of worshipping God publicly, privately, and together with family on a regular and habitual basis actually shape who you are and who you become? How can avoiding this do the same? Share some of your own experiences. 
 
Take a moment to worship God wholeheartedly, drawing inspiration from Psalms 95 and/or 96. As you read through each verse together, reflect after each one by asking: “What truth in this verse is guiding my spirit to focus on and worship God as a result?”

Growing in Grace: Solitude

Ps. 62:1; Matt. 14:23; 1 Kings 18:12
Introduction
What is Solitude 
From Loneliness to Solitude 
Jesus’ Example 
Elijah’s Example 
Personal and Public Spiritual Disciplines
Small Group Discussion Questions
1. How do you personally define solitude, and how does it differ from loneliness in your life?
 
2. The sermon mentions that Jesus often withdrew to solitary places to pray. How can we follow His example and make time for solitude with God in our busy schedules?
 
3. What are some distractions (like phones, Netflix, or busyness) that keep you from practicing silence and solitude, and how might you create more space to listen to God?
 
4. Psalm 62:1 and 5 say, "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation... For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him." What does it mean to wait in silence for God, and how might this bring peace to your soul?
5. In 1 Kings 18-19, Elijah experiences a dramatic victory, then flees in fear and finds himself alone under a broom tree, where God meets him with a "still small voice” or the sound of a “low whisper.” How have you experienced God speaking to you in quiet moments, especially during times of struggle or exhaustion?

Growing in Grace: Fasting

Growing in Grace: FastingMatt. 4:1-11; Gal. 6:7-8; Matt. 6:15-18;
What’s your experience with fasting in general? Is there a difference between biblical fasting and say intermittent fasting, or partial fasts or dieting? If so, what is the purpose of biblical fasting? 
In what ways does the act of fasting serve as a theological reversal of the Fall?
How can you apply the concept of fasting to address areas of your life where you feel excessive temptation?
What pitfalls in fasting are we instructed to avoid from the scripture? 
Why is it important to understand that fasting is not merely about abstaining from food, but rather about reliance on God? Or put it another way, how one must replace whatever you are removing.
What practical steps can you take on a fast, and what particular purpose will this fast be aimed at or for? Make a plan. Start small. Keep each other accountable. 

Growing in Grace: The Lord's Supper

Luke 22:13-23; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; Romans 8:9-11
Small Group Discussion Questions
How does living in a secular age—where life often feels stripped of transcendent meaning—shape the way we view and practice our faith, particularly through ordinances/sacraments like baptism and the Lord’s Supper?"
 
What challenges related to the Lord’s Supper does Paul address in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34? What challenges does the modern church face?
 
What is the historical significance of the Passover in relation to the Lord’s Supper?
 
How can engaging with the mystery of the Lord’s Supper help you connect better with your faith? What’s the role of the Holy Spirit at communion?
 
What practical steps can you take to prepare your heart when participating in the Lord's Supper?

Growing in Grace: Baptism

1. Hearing and Doing: The sermon emphasized that a believer’s life involves both hearing God’s Word and acting on it (James 1:22-25, Matt. 5). Where in your life do you find it easy to hear but harder to do? What’s one step you could take to bridge that gap?
 
2. The Ethiopian Eunuch asked, “What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36). If you haven’t been baptized, what’s holding you back? If you have, what prompted you to take that step? Share your story. 
 
3. We explored baptism as both a sacred act (sacrament) and a commanded step (ordinance). Which view resonates more with you, and how does it affect how you see baptism’s role in your faith?
 
4. Read Romans 6:3-4 and Colossians 2:11-12. Baptism is tied to faith in Christ’s work in those passages. How do you see baptism as an act of faith rather than just a ritual? 
 
5. Baptism was compared to a race bib—identifying/registering you as a runner in Christ’s race. Baptism connects us to a local church running a race, not just a crowd. How does this image change or deepen your understanding of what baptism signifies? 
Extra Credit: What is Baptism and the Lord’s Supper? How are they similar and how are they different? What are the major disagreements in how they are practiced in the church today, and how can we stay unified as Hope Fellowship Church despite differing on finer points? 

Growing in Grace: Bible Part 2

Pastor Josh shares from his home on this snowy day Bible Part 2, in our Growing in Grace series. Learn more about what the Bible is, how we should be reading, and apply it to our lives!