BIG IDEA
Have you ever felt misunderstood? It can be quite frustrating. We can work very hard to be clear and communicate well, but sometimes we still end up being misunderstood. We may even be misunderstood, at times, for our faith. People may not understand why we spend time serving or giving generously to the church. They may not understand why you choose to obey God when He asks you to do something difficult. If that is you, you are in good company. Jesus was often misunderstood when He lived on earth. People had different expectations and beliefs about who Jesus should be and what He should do, yet He remained true to Scripture and His calling through it all.
BREAK THE ICE
When is a time you felt misunderstood? What happened?
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS
Bible Study Questions
1. What expectations or misunderstandings did people have about Jesus in His day?
WATCH SERMON RECAP
2. Read Luke 4:14-21. What is significant about Jesus’ statement in verse 21?
Luke 4:14-21
"Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see,that the oppressed will be set free,19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” 20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
"Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see,that the oppressed will be set free,19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
3. Read Luke 4:22-30. Summarize Jesus’ message in these verses. What made the crowd in the synagogue furious with what Jesus said?
Luke 4:22-30
"Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” 23 Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ 24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown. 25 “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 And many in Israel had leprosy in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. 29 Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, 30 but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way."
"Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
23 Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ 24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.
25 “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 And many in Israel had leprosy in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.”
28 When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. 29 Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, 30 but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way."
4. Read Luke 19:10. Why did Jesus say He came, according to this verse?
Application
1. What expectations or misunderstandings do people have about Jesus today?
2. What expectations or misunderstandings have you placed on Jesus, who He should be, and what He should do?
3. Look back at verse 19:10. How does this verse address any false expectations or misconceptions you might have had about Jesus?
MOVING FORWARD
When we place false expectations on Jesus and misunderstand His purpose, we miss out on all He has done and will continue to do. Commit as a group to memorize Luke 19:10. Let this verse be a reminder of who Jesus is and His mission on earth. Let it remind us that He sees the bigger picture, and His plans are better than ours. Then, make it your mission to reach out in love. Share your 2-minute testimony or the Bridge Diagram to explain the hope of Jesus. If you need a review of your 2-minute testimony or the Bridge Diagram, visit sagebrush.church/onelife
Going Deeper
In the weekend sermon, we learned about four different groups of people with different expectations for Jesus. Let’s take a few minutes to learn more about what they believed and how Jesus defied many of these expectations.
Zealots: We learned over the weekend sermon that Zealots were “freedom fighters” for the Jews. They believed the coming Messiah would overthrow the Romans ruling the Israel nation.
Read John 18:36.
Essenes: We learned in the weekend sermon that the Essenes believed the Messiah would only come if people were “pure” enough and lived radical enough lives.
Read John 8:1-11.
Pharisees: Over the weekend sermon, we saw that Pharisees were so devoted to obeying the Ten Commandments that they added to Scripture rather than being satisfied by Scripture alone. But unfortunately, they were so focused on the rules that they forgot the most important commandments, loving God and loving others.
Read Mark 2:23-28. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus and a group of Pharisees have a conversation about the Sabbath.
Sadducees: We learned in the weekend sermon that Sadducees had sided with the Roman government that was ruling over Israel. They were in charge of the temple and drove up the cost for animal sacrifices for their own personal financial gain. Their agenda for the Messiah was to use Him to have greater financial gain and prosperity on this earth.
Read Matthew 21:11.
Reflect:
After looking at each of these groups during Jesus’ day, take some time to reflect. Which group are you the most at risk of joining/siding with when it comes to setting expectations or agendas for Jesus? Why? Share this with your group. After everyone has shared, talk about one thing you will do this week to step away from these false agendas or expectations for Jesus. As you have finished, end your time together in prayer, asking God for the courage to take these steps today to re-adjust your hopes and expectations for Jesus.
MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE (Available for download on Sagebrush App)
John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
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