When life doesn’t go the way you prayed or people let you down, it’s easy to become offended—even with Jesus. But what if that offense is exactly what causes our love to grow cold and our relationships to crumble? Jesus warns us about the days ahead and calls us to something radically different than what our culture tells us to do.
When life doesn’t go the way you prayed or people let you down, it’s easy to become offended—even with Jesus. But what if that offense is exactly what causes our love to grow cold and our relationships to crumble? Jesus warns us about the days ahead and calls us to something radically different than what our culture tells us to do.
A weekly guide to carry the conversation beyond Sunday morning.
Begin your group time by inviting the Holy Spirit to guide your discussion and soften hearts toward one another and toward Jesus.
Question: What’s one superhero power you wish you had, and why?
(This connects to the sermon’s “Kingdom Superheroes” theme from the kids’ ministry and helps lighten the mood before diving into heavier content.)
If your group hasn’t watched the sermon together, take 2-3 minutes to summarize the key points.
Question: Read Luke 6:27-28 together. Jesus says to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.” Which of these four commands is hardest for you personally, and why?
Context from Sermon: The pastor opened by sharing how his Jewish friend in Israel is perplexed that Christians want to be like Jesus, especially when it comes to these counter-cultural commands. Our culture tells us to retaliate or stand up for ourselves, but Jesus calls us to something completely different. The pastor even admitted he has a tendency to judge people who wear superhero shirts, showing how easy it is to harbor negative attitudes even in small things.
Leader Tip: Give people permission to be honest. This is a safe space to admit where we struggle. You might share your own struggle first to model vulnerability.
Question: The New King James translation of Matthew 24:10 says “many will be offended.” How does being offended with Jesus lead to betraying and hating one another in the body of Christ?
Context from Sermon: The pastor explained that the great falling away starts with being offended by Jesus—when prayers aren’t answered the way we want, when life doesn’t look like we expected, when blessings don’t come. When we’re offended with Christ, we detach from Him and then our relationships crumble because they’re no longer centered on Him. We start listening to voices that justify our feelings rather than truth.
Leader Tip: Help your group understand the progression: offense with Jesus → detachment from Jesus → broken relationships with others → listening to false voices that justify our perspective.
Question: The pastor defined sin as “knowingly or willingly acting contrary to what God has commanded”—and God’s command is to love. What are some ways we reject God’s authority to love without realizing it?
Context from Sermon: The pastor noted that God’s law is designed to produce love, not just expose our brokenness. When Jesus summed up all the law and prophets with “love God and love others,” He was showing us that sin is ultimately about rejecting love. The pastor gave challenging examples like calendar/schedule, kids’ sports, money—things that can become gods we elevate above Him. Sin is self-centeredness, self-justification, and self-love instead of loving God and others.
Leader Tip: This is a great place to discuss subtle sins—gossip, grumbling, prioritizing our image over God’s image in us. Don’t let the conversation stay theoretical; make it practical.
Question: James 5:9 says “Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.” The pastor defined grumbling as “sighing or groaning at the name of someone.” Who causes you to have that reaction, and what does that reveal about your heart?
Context from Sermon: The pastor made this uncomfortably personal by asking whose name causes us to sigh or groan—to have a “strenuous breath” when we’re preparing to deal with them. He pointed out that the body of Christ often acts like the parents are away on a cruise and we can “go ham on one another,” when really the Judge is at the door. The gravel in the driveway is crunching. Grumbling includes gossiping about someone rather than going directly to them, being disturbed by their decisions, and processing with our favorite person instead of addressing it directly.
Leader Tip: The room might get quiet here. That’s okay. Let the Holy Spirit work. You might need to share first about someone who triggers this reaction in you and what God is teaching you about it.
Question: The pastor defined endurance as “the ability, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to stand under misfortunes and trials while holding fast to our faith in Christ.” Are you an endurance runner, or are you only faithful to Christ when life is going your way?
Context from Sermon: Jesus knows we’ll face misfortunes and trials. Endurance means remaining under the weight of something without allowing that weight to determine our faithfulness. The pastor challenged the church to examine if their faithfulness is dependent only on good things—answered prayers, promotions, blessings. He said, “It just feels gross, as if our faithfulness is dependent upon only good things.”
Leader Tip: This is about self-examination. Help your group understand that endurance isn’t about gritting our teeth harder—it’s about depending on the Holy Spirit in the hard seasons.
Question: Jesus doesn’t know when He’s returning—the Father does. And the Father is looking for a prepared bride. What does it look like for us as a church body to be prepared and waiting expectantly?
Context from Sermon: The pastor emphasized that Jesus is looking for body integrity—a healthy body pursuing Christ together. We’re called to live unoffended, to not let our love grow cold, to not grumble and groan. The Father is looking for a bride that’s ready, one who is living like she belongs to Jesus even when life is messy and unjust.
Leader Tip: End on a hopeful note. What are practical ways your group can live as the prepared bride this week?
The GrowCard Question: What’s the name (or names) that causes you to groan or sigh? Write that name with a prayer.
Group Response Time:
Pray the pastor’s closing prayer or create your own:
Father, every name that was written down, and every name that came to the surface—You know the names in each of our lives that are hard, that are difficult. Some of that is because we have established expectations for people that are impossible to live up to. I pray that by the power of Holy Spirit, You would empower us to live unoffended. That You would empower us to live with an eye on heaven, that we would be intentional to not allow our love for You, Jesus, to grow cold. Thank you for Your patience with us. Help us to love well. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
A weekly practice you can do beyond Sunday morning.
Share a moment you chose grace instead of offense. Ask: “What does honoring others look like at home?”
A weekly practice you can do beyond Sunday morning.
Release one offense you’ve been carrying — without explanation or confrontation.
How-To:
Why This Matters: Offense traps the heart; honor keeps it free.
