Groups Questions | Cypress Meadows Community Church

The Faith of a Gentile Woman
Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”
But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”
Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”
“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

Matthew 15:21-28

Read Matthew 15:21-28 and then make observations and comments. What is your “take-away” from this narrative.

Jesus Walks on Water
Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.
About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
“Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. Matthew 14:22-33

Read the narrative of Jesus and Peter walking on water and make some observations and comments.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!” Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. John 6:1-13

Read John 6:1-13. What do you think this moment was like for the boy with the first century Happy Meal?

The Cost of Following Jesus
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:57-62

How would you capture the message of this narrative in a sentence?

By this time it was late in the day, so His disciples came to Him. “This is a remote place”, they said, “and it’s already very late, Mark 6:35

“Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” Mark 6:36

“But He answered, “You give them something to eat.” Mark 6:37

He said this only to test them, for He already had in mind what He was going to do. John 6:6

Philip answered Him, “Eight months wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” John 6:7

Another of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. John 6:8

Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish but how far will they go among so many? John 6:9

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. Mark 6:39

So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Mark 6:40

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He game them to His disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. Mark 6:41

When they had all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples, “ Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” John 6:12

So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. John 6:13