Reflection Questions: ***SCRIPTURE TEXT***

For the message, The Way of the Humble given by Pastor John Ferguson
at New City Church of Calgary on November 13, 2016
These discussion questions are designed primarily to help you apply the message from the Scriptures
by helping you think through application to your personal life, your church life, and your citys life.
You can use these by yourself for reflection, or with your family or small group for discussion.
To review the sermon, go to NewCityChurch.ca/sermons
INTRODUCTION
Pray. Take a moment to pray asking God to guide you in reflecting upon the Scripture text.
Read the Scripture text: Luke 18:9-14
A summary of the sermon: Jesus tells a parable to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
treated others with contempt (at least in their attitudes).
Key Points:
Two very different men went up to the temple to pray: one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
Two very different prayers were offered: The Pharisees prayer was all about how great a guy he was and how he was
not like other people. The tax collector simply asked for mercy.
Two very different results: Jesus said that tax collector went home justified, while the Pharisee didnt (implying of
course, that he was condemned).
Bottom Line:
Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
QUESTIONS
1. How does this text speak to your life?
How are you challenged, convicted, encouraged, or surprised by this text?

Why do you think its so easy to trust in the good things that we do, and to look down on others who dont look /
believe / vote / live like we do? What does that say about us as human beings?

In light of this parable, how would you answer the question, What kind of me is God calling me to be?

2. How does this text speak to us as a church community?

Describe what a church community would look like if it embodied the attitude of the Pharisee? What would it
communicate to our city?

If our church community took this parable to heart, what would we look like? What would be the vibe of NCC?
What would we need to change? What would we need to repent of?

3. How does this text speak to our city?

How does this story Jesus tells challenge the way our city normally thinks about what it means to relate to God?
What kind of new life / future in Christ is this text calling our city to experience?
How would Calgary look radically different if everybody did what Jesus describes in this passage?

***Consider telling someone this week this story that Jesus told. Ask them what they think about it.

CONCLUSION QUESTION
What is the one thing you want to take away from this study to remember or to make a change in your life?

PRAYER
What are some ways you can turn what you are learning into prayer? List them as bullet points.
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