The Resurrection and the Guards’ lies

Jesus is crucified and dies

The Last Supper

Signs of the end   

The wedding banquet

Parable of Tenants

Transfiguration, healing and tithes

John the Baptist beheaded

Recognizing good from bad

Jesus’ mission

Treasures in Heaven

Jesus is tempted

Jesus is born

1) Christ has authority over everything. How do we make sense of this statement, in a world where we face evil and resistance? How do we trust that Jesus is in charge when we face persecution or when we see bad things happen to good people? Share an example you may know of where Christ is indeed in charge, despite the circumstances in life.

2) We are to know Jesus, and live out what He has taught. Jesus' message for our purpose is clear, in verse 19. How excited are we in carrying this out? Have you experienced a truth of Jesus that is counter-intuitive to the ways of the world that you wanted to share it with others? What is that experience? If not, how can we get started to know about Christ more, to experience these truths and live out his teachings?

3) We need the power of the holy spirit in our struggles and challenges on earth. Have you experienced the prompting or power of the holy spirit, in a situation you would not have been able to cope, or would have acted very differently, if you relied on your own power? Share that experience. How can we be more in tune with the holy spirit?

1) What are some possible areas of your life where the devil may have prompted you to certain directions? If the devil's hand was really at play, how can we use the power of God to overcome that? What are some perspectives that the devil had perverted, so much so that the world celebrates them? List them down.

2) What are some things you might have refused to do, not because of lack of time, but because you felt they were beneath you? Were there others you had in mind to do those things? Might we subconsciously be viewing these people as beneath us? Do we see other workers doing seemingly menial tasks as our equals and colleagues who merely have a different job scope?

3) It doesn't matter how many members we have in the church or how many ministries we are doing, if loving one another is not seen in our actions, and not what we value the most. What are some examples of church activities, where there is alot of doing but not alot of loving in the way it was done? For those examples, what can we do or change such that we show love in those actions?

Judas' story was a really sad one. He chose suicide in the end, before he could repent. Despite being one of the twelve, one of the closest people to Jesus and following Jesus around to do good works, he had a woeful end. Jesus even said in Matthew 26:24 that "it would be better if he had not been born".

1) What stern warning does the above suggest for the rest of us, despite us being in the institution of Christianity?

2) Even one of the twelve could fall so far from grace and we may be more similar to Judas than we think. However there is always hope and redemption, no matter how grievous our sin. What is the key ingredient for redemption though?

3) Despite Judas' remorse, he was met with smug apathy from the religious leaders. Have you ever felt remorseful about something, yet no one comforted you but remained indifferent? How did that feel? Do you find yourself reacting similarly to someone else who admitted wrongdoing, and showed no sympathy, perhaps still being angry or perhaps because the fault was so severe? How does that help?

1) Recall courtroom scenes in shows/movies you have watched. The purpose of those trials was to find the truth. However, what did Jesus went through instead? His trial was not to find the truth, but rather finding an excuse to put him to death. How did the priests twist Jesus' words? How would you feel, facing a trial where judge and jury were already against you from the start?

2) The trial quickly escalated into something else that was more obscene. Jesus' clothes were tore off, he was spat on and he was being beaten. Have you ever seen a trial scene, even the most unfair ones in shows, degrade to a level like this, where it is outright abuse of the defendant? As Jesus told his disciples in Gethsemane, he has the power to save himself from this ordeal if he wanted to. Why did Jesus choose to let them insult him this way? Put ourselves in his shoes for those moments and imagine all the urges we would have wanted to do.

3) From when Jesus got arrested, Peter fled, and then followed behind, but at a far distance. Why did he maintain such a distance? What were his thoughts and feelings regarding being found associated with Jesus? Peter denied Jesus, and wept bitterly in the end. That may have been the lowest point of his life. How can we relate to Peter, in terms of our responses to life's challenges?

As we begin this week's visualisation exercises and immerse ourselves in the world of Jesus leading up to his death, let's use these questions to aid in our 'virtual' experience and imagine/understand the feelings of Jesus through it all.

1) What was the "cup" in the passage referring to? Even though Jesus knew very clearly his mission and the inevitability of what was to come, he still prayed for this "cup" to be taken from him, if possible at all. Why? What agony and fear must he be feeling to make such a prayer?

2) Jesus was fully God, yet He was also fully human. As a human, what was he feeling, with the weight of the sins of the world crashing down on him, the only person without sin? How would you feel if you were about to bear all the punishment on behalf of everyone else, when you're the only person who doesn't deserve it?

3) Imagine God looking down at this scene where his only son was making this plea. He had every power to whisk Jesus out of the garden and put him by his side, so he had to make a choice. On one hand, it was his perfect, pure and peaceful son Jesus, whom he loved so much. On the other, it was the sinful, violent, self-serving rest of us. Which side did he choose? Why? What kind of a sacrifice is that?

1) What is the heart of the gospel? How much time and emphasis do churches today concentrate on the heart of the gospel? What are the similarities between the modern church and the chief priests/elders in the passage?

2) What is our motivation behind wanting to help the poor? Why would not being devoted to God, as our reason for helping the poor, lead to fighting and being judgmental?

3) Judas' betrayal and actions may seem like an abomination to us. However, given the hold money has on us today, how similar are we to Judas? How much of our wealth (which rightfully belongs to God) is being used for the needy? How well do we safeguard our organisation's money for the poor? Do we sometimes pocket them for other uses, just like how Judas pocketed some of the money meant for the poor?

1) We are saved by grace and not through works. How do you interpret this statement? What is the context? What would become of those who says the sinner's prayer, say they believe (and they truly believe in Christ), but are not willing to change since then, and are indifferent to the needy? Recall that God looks at the heart first and foremost, so even if such people started doing works for the needy, but their motivation is to secure eternal life, would God reserve a place in heaven for them?

2) Do we view people equally? We think ourselves having high moral standards at times and get angry at racial, gender and social inequality, but are we truly innocent of other sorts of inequality? How do we behave in front of people with different designations? Do we pander to people of higher authority or who are "more spiritual", and don't care to glance or speak to a person lesser in our hearts? Share an experience where someone does not treat people with respect as normal human beings but treat people according to their designations.

3) What is the purpose of having our church? Is it a place for us to gather and meet our spiritual quota, or a place to receive and minister to the broken and needy? When the broken and needy (and they may be dirty, smelly, with disease, gangster-looking, etc) do walk in, how would we behave? If we walk into a church full of broken people, what would we comment about that kind of church? Would we say "why does this church have so many problematic people"?

Learn to say this prayer: First, be honest with God, regarding the current state of your heart. Confess if you find it hard to love, and are indifferent to people's needs, or find it hard to let go of your things and lifestyle to give more to others. Ask for a desire to change a hardened heart. Then pray for a change of heart. Pray for your heart to be saddened when you see people in need. Pray for your heart to hurt for these people, that it may kick you into an action, to let them have a taste of the privileges we have always been having.

1) Often, when people think of stewardship, they think of finances. What other things are we called to be good stewards of? In previous podcasts, we asked how we could use our abilities for God. Even when using them for service for others, do you feel excited about it, or does it feel like a chore sometimes? Why?

2) Much research shows that when people are asked why they do not do something, even though they say they believe in it, the often quoted reason is lack of time. What are some things you agree is important but can't commit to due to lack of time? What are some barriers that might prevent you from giving time for some of these things? How can you remove these barriers?

3) Do you know people who ministered to others via their trying circumstances? Share their stories. What do those stories show when it comes to the possibilities of your own circumstances?

*If you are exploring an idea to try out, this may help:

- Think Big

- Start Small, but Build Deep

- Act Fast

1) Committing to a life to serve God may not be easy. What are the possible hardships you may face in such a life? What does Jesus mean when he said "my yoke is easy and my burden is light"? How does that encourage us in our journey to endure to the end, amidst the hardships?

2) Was there a time when you felt zealous and was on fire for God, thirsting to know him more and motivated to serve? If you do not feel the same passion, why is that? What does that say about the challenge of constancy and God's warning of people turning away from the faith?

3) What are your top 3 temptations in life? Which part of the day/week are you most prone to these temptations? Why is that? What are some structures/routines we can place in our lives to enable us to mull and think about God's love for us each day, so as to combat these temptations and strive for consistency in our behaviour?

1) Who are the people that God has called you to be faithful to? How can we be committed to these people under our charge, serving and nurturing them?

2) Are there possible opportunities out there to impact people's lives that we may not be noticing? Recall the people who frequently pass you by each day (e.g. a person you often see when taking transport, a store holder you often buy food from, a support staff who helps maintain the building, etc). Might God possibly have placed them in your lives for a reason?

3) What are some of the most important values to teach our younger generation? What would Jesus have hoped for us to impart? Taking this list, are we spending most of our of time nurturing them in these values, or do we spend a huge portion of energy and time emphasising training in something else?

1) What are some examples of "turning converts twice as bad as they were"? How many of these examples might we be doing? Why is this more harmful than not having them come to the church at all?

2) Have you had situations where you see a person suffer injustice (e.g. an unpopular person being persecuted by your peers), but you struggle to stand up for the person, due to the expense you may face (e.g. possibility of being persecuted together)? How can we seek a burdened heart when we see such instances and learn to give of ourselves?

3) What sort of image(s) do you place importance in to have respectability as a Christian? What sort of situation might bring you shame and embarrassment as a Christian if it were to happen? How might this shame, a result of our need to upkeep a certain image, impede our capacity to practice justice, mercy and faithfulness?

It is easy for vanity to take root in our hearts, often without us noticing. The podcast suggests the following ways to guard against vanity:

1) Be slow to speak and slow to display our gifts. God blessed us with various gifts, and rightfully, we are meant to use them for his glory. However, which are the times when we display them, not really for others and for his glory, but because of a need to be noticed?

2) Whenever we teach or give advice, try it out on ourselves. What are some examples of bad advice you have heard and in what situations were they being said?

3) Encourage others to rise up. Think of the people you work with. Are we having a competitive mentality towards them? Think of a person you find hard to work with. Rather than lamenting about the difficulties you face with the person, how can you help build that person up?

4) Evaluate all criticism and feedback. How do you approach criticism and feedback? Some are constructive, but some may be invalid. However, do we reflect on them adequately, or do we usually get defensive and justify our actions?

1) How have we limited what God is and what he could do in our lives? What are some common examples where an individual, and the church, could be boxing God in?

2) Are there reasons why you may be placed by God in our current circumstances? Take some time to reflect and think beyond our usual limited perspectives. What might they be? We can't achieve anything without God's power, and hence may reject the thought of trying something, but what could he be possibly do, through you?

*Prayer exercise: Ask God to help you see why he has placed you in your current situation. Ask God to remind you that he is bigger than those circumstances, and that he loves you and those around you. Ask God to help you identify his work in that place, his blessings for you and others in your current situation, and the potential work he could do through you, for others.

1) Do we obey God's commandments and try to do good out of fear of going to hell, or out of love for God, for all that He has done for us? What difference does it make in terms of our heart? This is akin to us not committing a crime because if we do, we will go to jail, or do we not commit it because it is the right thing to do? What if that law and punishment is removed, would we then commit the crime? What if God tells us that there is no hell, and heaven for us all, regardless of what we do?

2) Is it possible to love God without loving others? How do we love God? What are some ways we could come to know God more?

1) Recall the times when you may have been unhappy with your bosses, or with authority. How did you react? What are some ways you can understand your bosses' actions and decisions, respect and honour them despite being in disagreement or even disliking them?

2) Are there situations when you find that loving/standing by your brethren runs contradictory to respecting and honouring your bosses? Share them. How can we do both at the same time?

3) In many instances, Christians may use the excuse of fulfilling their "Christian duties" and compromise on their responsibilities at work. Can you think of one such instance and share what happened? God does not permit us to be irresponsible workers to be responsible believers. Why is it that by honouring our work and our superiors, we honour God? How do we serve authority in a way that honours God?

1) In what way did Christians throughout history usurp the position of God (taking God's people, taking away the glory from God, becoming the object of worship and admiration themselves)? How might the modern church, or even us be doing the same today?

2) Are we using material and media from the people we like to listen to as substitutes for the bible? How can we guard ourselves from turning our eyes away from Jesus, and casting them upon leaders/speakers/teachers/preachers we like?

3) Is just believing Christ is our saviour and attending church on Sundays enough? Would God like our worship to him (and attendance) on Sunday, if we do not practice His ways and teachings the rest of the time. Church on Monday and the rest of the days is evidence that church on Sunday is real. We all probably know this deep in our heads, so we do not need a question asking what we should be doing on non-Sundays. Instead, try praying daily, for God each day to help us do what we know in our heads: being just and kind, being meek, being custodians of his love, even for those we disagree with or dislike, so that people may glorify Him.

1) Are there situations where you may have been concerned about how others think of you or the reaction of others, such that it clouds your judgement, to think objectively? What are those situations? (e.g. to go for a decision but was peer influenced to do otherwise, wanting to stand up for an unpopular person, etc.)

2) For those situations in Q1, if you had time to think objectively, and act according to your heart and convictions, what would you have done? Would those times have been more beneficial for you (be it wanting to come to God, to be set free or to be at peace), compared to what people might think of you?

3) Once again, Jesus warns of how hardened hearts could prevent us from entering the kingdom of God. This time, it is in terms of wanting approval of man, rather than God. We may even make fun of those who have untethered emotions and actions towards God. Have we at times, ridiculed the untethered feelings of others? How are such reactions similar to verse 32 of the podcast?

1) What are your God-given talents? How can you use these talents for others?

2) What is the primary goal of our lives? Reflecting on our priorities, have we gotten it the other way round (building riches on earth to enjoy as primary, and serving others as secondary)? What are some practical decisions we could make or structures we could put in our lives to get the order right?

3) God says that you will receive anything you ask for, if you have faith. The condition that many of us forget is that the prayer has to be in service for others. Think of some of our prayers. What might be the reasons why some of them were not answered? If they are in service of others but were not answered, is it a question of faith? We encourage all to persist in prayer, surrender your burdens for others to God, and leave the rest to God.

*Encourage this to be part of your daily prayer: Ask how to make your life count and pray for God to make it count. Pray that whatever circumstance God has put you in, to allow you to see what God has made you for, and how you could in your position, be of service to others.

1) What is the significance of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem?

2) When Jesus enters, the people lavished praise on him. Unfortunately, it is not to recognise him as their saviour from sin, but to hope that he will lead them in a revolt against Rome. How did Jesus meet their expectations? What did he want to conquer? How does that apply in our lives today when we pray for Jesus to do certain things for us? How does Jesus work on our inner transformation in those times?

3) Jesus came on a donkey, not a steed. He wore clothes of the humble and poor, not royal robes. He conquers not by force, but with love, grace, and mercy. Even our most high king carries himself this way. How should we carry ourselves, in the way we display our riches, in the way we use our power, and in the way we resolve conflict?

1) The higher you go, the more you have to serve those below you. In our respective roles now, whether in schools, at home or in work, are we more interested in serving/impressing our bosses or serving the people we take charge of? Think of the kind of leader you would like to have. If you are placed in a similar position of power, how can you use that power to serve those within your circle of influence?

2) The word tells us that whoever is to become great among all the people must be a servant of the people. This is true when we see the best leaders around us fighting not for themselves, but for the people they have responsibility over. How much of our decisions (personal or organisational) these days take the welfare of the people around us into account? How much is based on how much gains we can get for ourselves? What sort of world would we be in if our country's leaders make decisions for their own gain?

3) Think of the support staff in your school or work (cleaners, guards, etc). Do we know their names? Do we view them as a colleague whose work is important to the mission of the organisation as well? Do we view them as minions and order them around to do things? Sadly, these workers, upon speaking to them, tend to be those who don't view themselves significantly and some are even shocked when people know their names or chose to be their servant in some situations instead of asking them to be one. This shows the value they place on themselves, partly a result of how the world treats them. How can we empower these colleagues of ours, and how can we distribute our perks and privileges in work to have them share in the rewards? After all, they provided the infrastructure and environment that allows us to have our success.

1) Assess how much wealth has a hold on us by asking: How much does wealth play a part in our career choices? How much time do we spend thinking about our investments and savings? How much time do we spend looking for money? When we see a person in need, how much are we willing to give?

2) What do we lose out when we spend time and energy on money?

3) It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, but not impossible. How do we make it possible? How does giving make our lives richer and happier?

Let today be a time of personal reflection and prayer, rather than a group sharing, as we ponder some deeply personal questions below.

1) To become one with someone is something sacred. Laws and commandments aside, what hurts arise from becoming one with a person you are not spending the rest of your life with? Compare the losing out on physical pleasure when one abstains, to the hurt when one gives away chastity and breaks up. Which is much worse? Even when one intends to remain chaste, it is difficult to resist temptation in the heat of a moment. How then, can we set boundaries to protect ourselves from those temptations and prevent it from escalating to that point?

2) Under what circumstances does God allow separation of a union? If you find yourself in a struggling marriage, who can you confide in and pray together with? You might have tried many ways to salvage the marriage and are at your wits' end. It is really difficult, but God still meant for the union to be successful, and no one should separate what He put together. Say a prayer to God to open doors for healing and for perseverance to work at reconciliation.

3) If the deed of pre-marital sex has already been done, or there has been more than one partner, would there not make as much a difference to continue to have more? Or would doing so further the hurt physically, emotionally and spiritually? God is redemptive and gracious. How can one work towards healing, and not furthering the hurt?

1) To God, one loss is a loss too many. When we encounter lost sheep (be it from your small group, a ministry member, or a family member/friend), do we bother to bring them back to the fold? Are we sometimes indifferent to those who wander off or may not have persisted enough for them? How could we, as an individual or as a group 'look for the one that wondered off'?

2) Reflect on some disagreements and confrontations. When we do call out a person, pointing out faults, what is the motivation behind them? Is it out of love and care for the other party, or something else (e.g. pride, enforce our brand of justice, to vent, etc.)? How do we call one another out in love?

3) Are we like the unmerciful servant in the parable? Just as our master (God) has shown us mercy and forgiveness, despite our unworthiness, do we do the same for others, no matter how unworthy/insincere they seem to us (e.g. repeated sins against us)? What form might our suffering/torture take if we can't forgive from our hearts, based on the warning from verse 34-35?

1) How might we have taken children for granted (in terms of our conversations/interactions with them or lack of it)? How can we 'welcome children in his name'? What are the things we can learn from children?

2) What did Jesus mean when he commands us to be more like children? What qualities of a child was he referring to? Share some concrete examples of how we can be more like a child, the way God intends it.

3) Whether you are a parent or not, reflect on (or imagine) how you want to spend time with your child, or how you wish your child would spend time with you. Think now, how would God like us to spend time with him. Say a prayer for God to show you the kind of relationship he wants you to be in with him, and how you could include him in many situations of your life.

Please be informed that there will be no podcast on Monday, 01 March 2021. Our podcast on Matthew Series will resume on Tueday, 02 March 2021.

Thank you for your kind understanding.

- AgMC Pastoral Team

1) God has given us the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and the power to set people free. Are there people you know who are in need and yearning to be set free from their situations? What can we, or as a church, do for these people?

2) When we are given spiritual and religious power, it is tempting to want earthly power also. Think of the many situations where you are given power (e.g. as a parent, group leader, boss or simply an individual right) and did exercise them reasonably. In some of those situations, how might it have turned out if you chose not to wield that power? Other times when you chose to turn the other cheek, how did it turn out?

3) Have you been at the receiving end of a person who showed grace despite having the authority to wield power over you? Share what happened. Does that make you want to follow such a person?

1) What is the biggest worry for you now? How much time and energy are you spending on your worry? Think of some of your biggest worries in the past. How has God provided in those times? Try saying a prayer when you worry, for God to remind you of his provision, to help you lay your burdens down, to focus on other things (perhaps blessings we may not have seen if we are clouded by many worries).

2) Has bitterness from past/existing conflicts taken root in our hearts? What are some things we may be doing that may perpetuate more bitterness in our hearts? How might these feelings/hardened heart blind us? Often, the human tendency is to focus on the negative once we are angry with someone, making us not see the positives of the other party, or discounting them. Say a similar prayer from Q1, to help the process to soften hearts and to help see the good things and silver linings.

1) In the passage, how did the woman respond to Jesus' rejections? How would we have reacted? In light of what Jesus did in the end, what does it say about the messiah's ultimate concern?

2) A parent's anguish is hard to understand, until one becomes a parent. God surely understood it, as he sent his son, Jesus. Reflect on how God felt when he made the decision to send his son, knowing the outcome up to the point where he actually let it happen. How would you describe that love (for us) and anguish (as a parent)?

1) Think through the practices in your christian living. For each of them, ask "why do I [insert practice]"? (e.g. Why do I sing the doxology?) Spend some time to think through those whys and reflect on how purposeful they are, or how purposeful you have been doing them.

2) We often say a prayer (sometimes in desperation) just before an important event (e.g. 5 min before exam). Why might it be a good practice to pray, during the lead up to an event that matters to you (e.g. throughout the 2 weeks leading up to an outreach opportunity)? What are some things/events you could pray for in preparation of your heart?

3) What is deep in your heart at this stage of your life now? What do you want from God? What do you want out of the church? Focus on that, pray and encourage you to find someone to speak about it.

1) Jesus models the type of servant leadership that prioritises the rest and needs of others, before self. Are there those in your life who may be weary or have specific high needs now? In what ways can we model Jesus' love for those people, amidst being busy ourselves (may be in your family, your group members, your workplace colleagues, bosses or subordinates)?

2) Are there times you are so afraid, and God to allay those fears? Share about those times and how God has assured you. If you don't sense God despite being afraid, discuss about those times too and why there's no sign of God to calm your nerves.

1) Is it guaranteed that being united under an institution like the church, means that all its members will be saved? How does God choose? Why is it important to examine our own heart, before anything else, like attending church activities and doing ministry?

2) The parable, and many other verses in the bible are very clear that there is no gray area between being born of God and not being born of God. You are either good fish or bad fish. This can be a scary warning for many of us who may be complacent of our salvation. What does it look like to be an authentic citizen of God's kingdom?

1) What does the parable of the mustard seed suggest, in terms of how adequate or sufficient we are for God's ministry? What are some small beginnings or things we could do in our church (that may potentially grow like the mustard seed)? What could we glean from this parable when it comes to outreach?

2) How is the yeast of the gospel transforming and changing you? How is it similar to the way the holy spirit works in us? Is it a slow process or an instant one? Does God use both? Is one process better than the other?

It is not easy to tell the weeds from the wheat. Their roots are intertwined below the ground. Rooting out the weeds would also uproot the wheat, doing more damage to the crop than leaving the weeds to grow.

1) What situations in your life, would the above paragraph apply?

2) How can we be sure whether we are the weeds or the wheat? It is said that no one is permanently evil or permanently good. This is encouraging, as well as scary. It provides a hope of salvation for anyone regardless of how far they had fallen. As for the rest of us who may think we are the wheat, how can we ready ourselves, so that when "the harvest at the end of the age" comes (and it will surprise us when it comes), we are actually 'in', and not 'out'?

3) Weeding out evil is God's job, not ours. Are there over-zealous "weeders" amongst us? Could we be one of them? Reflect on whether we may have tried to root out anyone who does not agree with 'our practices', or passed judgement on those outside church (e.g. people of other faiths).

1) What is God's rule in our hearts currently? Does it match the description of God's kingdom in the passage?

2) There is no doubt how much God loves us, no matter what we are. Do we love God so much though, that there are things we are willing to give up or lifestyles we are willing to change?

3) Has the kingdom of heaven become so exciting for us that everything else pales in comparison? How do we seek this love that is above all loves, this treasure that is above all treasures?

1) The purpose of a parable is to separate those who really want to know from those who don't want to know. Which group do we belong to? How satisfied are we in terms of our longing for the word/knowing God more?

There are 4 seeds mentioned falling on different grounds, which coincide with 4 conditions of the heart: Those who do not understand the word, those with no root and quickly fall away, those who worry about wealth, those who understand the word and produces a crop.

2) What are the penalties/benefits of each condition? Which condition(s) does your heart fall into? Depending on which one, what could you do in response to allow the seed to germinate and bear good fruit?

3) How could we help others to grow their seed and help them bear good fruit? The harvest field is plentiful, but labourers few. Taking a look at your different social circles, is there someone that God has placed in your life, to possibly journey with together (family, friends, church community, workplace, online friend, etc.)?

1) Have we prioritised conversion over transformation in our ministry to others? What are some actions, or the lack of actions, we display that may have shown complacency, or that the battle has been won, after we or others have received Christ.

2) What are some things in our lives that we may have asked for God's forgiveness and claimed repentance? What were the steps taken towards transformation if we have truly repented in those things? If not, how do we start going about it?

3) What does it mean to be a brother of Jesus? How do we walk together with Jesus, to see him as a brother?

1) Take some time to reflect on your priorities in life. In a race to fill these priorities, do you have at least a day of rest each week? If you find today, that you may not have structured rest for yourself, for your subordinates, or for your children, is there a need to re-prioritise and how can you do so from hereon?

2) Let's go back to the very foundations of our church life. Why do you go to church? Why do you do your quiet time? Why do you attend small groups? Why do you serve? Is it to fulfil obligatory acts of piety? Is it to fill some sort of spiritual quota so that we don't feel guilty? Or is it because it refreshes us and we want to draw close to God? What kind of heart and motivation does God want us to have when we do these acts?

3) Think of the times when you give. It could be tithing, or offering of your time or other resources. Which of these are out of sacrifice, and which are out of mercy? How does each kind affect how cheerful you give?

1) Questions from 8 Feb (Matthew 9:18-38) discussed about miracles and why we may not be seeing them. How much of it could be due to our hardened hearts? Do we react to miracles with relief and arrogance, or with repentance? What are some signs of hardened hearts?

Suggested reading: https://www.christiantoday.com/article/7-symptoms-of-a-hardened-heart/103442.htm

2) God wants everyone of us to know and experience Him, not just through listening to the wise and learned, but through our personal reading of the bible, listening to him, thirsting to find out about him and verifying truths for ourselves. Thus, God never restricts knowledge about Him to us all. Why is it dangerous if God's knowledge is limited to only the wise and the learned? In this era of increasing false prophets and very convincing preaching, how can we be discerning of what we hear from the knowledgeable?

3) We reflected much about what it means to follow Jesus and how it is a narrow path, and it sounds daunting. However, we may misunderstand that in doing so, we may have more burdens, when it is the opposite. What does it mean when Jesus says his "yoke is easy" and his "burden is light"? When we follow Jesus, we learn how to surrender our burdens more, feel lighter and have more peace. How do we surrender our burdens? (Pray as the podcast suggests and say this prayer every time you feel burdened).

1) How is following Jesus counter-intuitive (against our human nature) and counter-cultural (against the ways of the world)? Since it is counter-cultural, our decisions in going after God's heart may be frowned upon by the world. What incentive is there then, in doing so?  

2) Think of times when we may have judged that people are closer to God, based on their worldly achievements (wealth, health, designation, etc.) Did we perceive what we see as blessings from God to the person, therefore the person must be close? In some cases, it is true indeed. However, with a similar mindset, have we assumed the poor and the less prestigious are less close to God? Let us all reflect whether we may have had these perceptions, and pray to God to forgive us for associating his love to only worldly things, and to help us identify his blessings in a different way.

3) It is a paradox that as we strive to be morally good, we also make church/or doing church less accessible to people we judge to be morally not as good. Many times, when we make decisions in work, or in church, we set some sort of moral criterion (e.g. a leader has to be ...). It is right to do that many cases, as it is our hope that people whom we choose model the right values, especially in certain positions. However, ponder about how some of these standards we set (are they even the standards God wants us to put in place in our choices?) make it less accessible for some to serve, to come into our church, or how it could limit how God plans to work in some people. The bible also reminds that God often uses the unlikeliest of people to do his work.  

1) When Jesus did his outreach, he was sometimes the needy and vulnerable one, ministering to people who gave to him. Why is coming from a position of humility, admiring and having dependence on others effective in opening doors to ministry? What are some ways and examples we can be vulnerable and learn from those we minister to?  

*extended food for thought: We do thank God for giving us abundantly and we remember the song "Give Thanks", where we let the weak say we are strong, and let the poor say we are rich. However, are we making others feel small (even insulted sometimes) when we subconsciously, in our desire to give, appear superior or give the impression we think others are that low? How do we minister in a way that can be empowering to those we serve as well?

2) Jesus reminds us of the cynical world we are called to minister to, and the need to be wise and on guard. Think of situations, in your circle of social interaction, or in your workplace, where you may go about your business as usual with no ill intention, but yet got targeted by the ploy of others, or got embroiled in some kind of politics. What are some ways we could be wise and defend ourselves from these situations? If it is unavoidable, how can we act honourably despite being treated unhonourably and with injustice?

3) In relation to Q2, what encouragement can we get from God, even when we are maligned, accused and even ostracised? How does God bless us when we choose not to retaliate and sometimes choose not to be defensive? The beatitudes encourages us and reminds of blessings for those who are meek and those being persecuted. Think of how God could use the persecutions that you face (especially when you act honourably through it all) to minister to others. Finally, it may not be popular, but how can we stand up for others and show support for those being persecuted?

1) Have you ever felt like you hope for a miracle to happen, but did not quite have the belief that it would happen? We hear of many miracles from the bible, but may not see or hear many of them in our lives now. Are miracles less likely to happen in this modern era? If yes, or no, why?

2) There are times we may be desperate ourselves. We pray, perhaps, for healing for our family/friends, or for our loved ones to know God. Have you prayed for similar miracles, but after a long time, got discouraged as there was no sign of God? There are people who persists in prayer, even for more than a decade and believe that God's promises will come to pass. We learn through these people that in prayer, God transforms us, to build a certain character, resilience, faith, as if saying that it's not about whether we get what we ask for, but rather something in us needing to change. Do we persist in our prayers and have faith? Think of how God can transform us through desperate times. 

3) In verse 37, Jesus said to his disciples that "the harvest is plentiful". If we look more carefully at our community, what are some opportunities out there? Are there people just in our lane who are in need, who may be desperate and lack hope, and may need little acts from us to learn about the hope our God can offer? Think closer to home as well, even within our church community: Are there those who are in need and what can we do, in small ways (no need big projects) to remind one another of this hope that God offers?

1) Think of people groups we may shun or maintain a distance. What are some of the reasons for not wanting to touch or even be too close to them? Are there loved ones or good friends you know who may have these same things and reasons we have for distancing away from others? Discuss how much of these are truly due to safety, or possibly due to a lack of love. If the roles are reversed, how would we feel if people distance themselves?

2) Think of people whom you know and admire, that are of other religions, other than Christianity. Share the kind of faith and love they may be displaying. Since they are not christians, does it mean their motivations are not right and their actions have less value, since it is not for our God? Discuss how dangerous it would be if we, as christians, adopt a self-righteous mentality or that we are of a 'superior' group, when we go to reach out and view other people's actions with that lens?

3) Think of those who need to learn of our God's love the most but may not typically visit a church. Are there such people groups in our community? Are the reasons why such people groups may not visit due to their reluctance to commit, or may it be due to our reluctance to receive? What are some things we can do as a church, to be more inclusive? 

1) Jesus has double standards, but the kind which is full of sacrificial love. Jesus has a standard very favourable to the world but far less favourable to himself. He chose to be in a humbling position and used his suffering to provide healing and salvation for others. If we choose to follow Him, what are some ways we can follow suit, and display similar double standards? 

2) What does it mean to follow Jesus? How ready are you, to drop everything, and follow what Jesus plans for you, when He calls?

3) Following Jesus is not the easiest route in life. In fact, it is a narrow path which may be filled with trials, tribulations, and suffering. What incentive then, is there to follow Jesus? What sort of encouragement can we get when weathering the storms?

1) How do you live out God's will? Think of some decisions, actions or lifestyle choices that requires you to "enter through the narrow gate". Discuss how counter-intuitive and counter-cultural these choices are when compared to the world and what most of your peers might be doing instead. Given the high difficulty in living out God's will, what are some practical ways to help us to commit to a God-centered life?

2) How do we "build a house upon a rock" when we make decisions? Recall scenarios (whether in a work meeting, or finding solutions to a problem) where a decision was made that may yield short term reward/gratification, but not good for the long term. What drives this decisions? If you are placed by God in a position to influence some of these decisions, how do we bear good fruits, even if it may not yield personal benefits? (making a decision that gets quick rewards so that credit may be due in our term but lacking foundation, or dig deep to spend time building foundation, but the fruits may be harvested only in a future where you are not around anymore and someone else may get the credit).

Battling sin is a deeply personal and sensitive issue for many of us. If your group is not comfortable discussing the questions below and sharing with one another regarding sin, it is fine. Let this day then, be one of a personal reflection and prayer. Let's spend some time to ponder these questions:

1) Think of instances when we are quick to point out other people's faults or list their shortcomings. Review this list of faults. Are we quick to judge when it comes to this list because we don't see them in us? What are some of our own shortcomings, faults and sins then? List some of them. How would you react if some of this shortcomings are pointed out to you by another?

2) We are all undeserving and the truth is that we are saved only because of God's grace. This means we don't deserve salvation because of our sinful nature but God still chooses to offer us a place beside Him in heaven. Take time to soak in what it means to have this grace, and for Jesus to die for our sins. How can we show others this same love despite the urge to want to correct others or point out their faults?

3) Ask and it will be given. What kind of things is God referring to that He will give freely, when we do ask? Spend some time to list some of these things and say a prayer to ask for God to help you seek these things that He meant for you (righteousness and character-tied), and to give you a longing and yearning for them.

1) What are some things of enjoyment you feel anxious about or spend time worrying on how to acquire? Discuss whether the anxiety over these things are worth it.

2) God wants the best for us, including the greatest enjoyment. Are there unexpected moments or events that God has arranged for you that resulted in great enjoyment? Share how God has prepared your heart and enabled you to enjoy them.

3) Think of the things that God had already placed in your lives. Think of the simple pleasures you may tend to overlook. If some of these things are taken away, how would you feel? Say a prayer to God to help you to identify and cherish these simple pleasures that God has placed in your life, thank Him for it and pray that you continue to learn how to enjoy these things that He planned for you. 

1) Why do we still pray when God already knows what we want and need, even better than we do?

2) When you pray "Let your will be done", what are the feelings you are having? Is it fear, resignation, worry, trust, warmth or peace? If our Father knows us inside out more than we do, and wants what is best for us, what does it mean to surrender our future to such a Father? Would it be any safer if we live our lives the way we wanted?

3) When you pray, is it more often that you ask God to help you to forgive, or more often that you ask to be forgiven? What possible mindset does it suggest on our part, depending on which prayer we say more often?

1) We seek to do good in this world and as strive to be kind in our actions. Reflect on all your kind acts. How many of them stem from a motivation of a pure heart? What are the deeds, or good spiritual discipline that you have done that may have started out as a pure intention, but along the way, was mixed with other motivations, like hoping for people to know? What can we do to let our heart and motivation of loving God and loving others, take centre-stage?

2) Have we made a performance of the things we are doing in church (e.g. praying, worshipping, leading sessions)? What constitutes as a performance? We want to give our best to God in our ministries and rightfully in doing so, the high standards will follow. However, when does it become a performance and a show to let others see how good we are? The bible reminds us that God looks at the heart once again. The action may be the same (e.g. a worship leader leading worship). However, whether it has meaning and whether God looks at the worship with approval depends on the heart of the leader. Think of the common things we do in church and discuss what are some of them that if we were not careful, can become a performance. Also, what are some of the things we want to improve in church, but some may swing the other way, and say we should not make it a performance, so why put so much emphasis in excellence? 

1) How can you know that God protects you and devises blessings for you through your enemies, when He teaches us not to retaliate against our enemies?

2) Consider who the enemies of the church are. Are they really against Christ? Even if they are, are they less deserving than us of Jesus' love? We learnt of the kind of image of God we want to portray when others see us, which is a God of love. How could we show this love to enemies? Is that love only limited to the christian community, or limited to only those who we deemed to have a hope of becoming christians?

1) Consider times when our words did not hold much weight. Have we said things before, but did not follow it up with actions? What are some obstacles/distractions in life that makes it hard for us to keep our covenants? List some practical ways you could overcome those obstacles. The bible reminds that even our simple 'yes' and 'no' is as important as an oath that we make with others. We pray that our word holds weight, as we seek to be a promise keeper with the strength of our Lord.

2) Were there times that it seemed like God did not keep His promises to you? Knowing that God's word is absolute and what He says is who He is, what happened in those times when you may be confused, and how did His promises come to pass eventually?

1) As humans, it is normal to have disagreements and be angry at someone. How have we conducted ourselves, individually, and as a church, in terms of showing displeasure of others? Have we been complaining about one another in church to others, or have we been defending one another, giving benefit of the doubt, to show solidarity and unity, even though we may still be angry? The bible reminds us that it is ok to call each other out when there is undesirable behaviour. However, the motivation behind it has to be out of love. Do we call one another out due to love for them, to build each other up, or is it to satisfy our need to show that we are right, or to simply put the other party down because they 'deserve it' and to make ourselves look good? Discuss how we could individually, and as a church show unity by edifying one another, defending one another and if necessary, how we could call one another out of love, in gentleness as Jesus taught us.

2) Think of a loved one or a friend, whom you had a fight with and have not reconciled. Reconciliation is one of the most difficult things to do. What are some things that are holding you and the other party back from seeking reconciliation? List them down. Are they worth it to make you let go of this relationship? How could you break down some of these barriers? God desires for us to be in communion with one another, regardless of the disagreements we have. In the same vein as how Jesus is always ready to receive us and is always there with us, even when we fall and push Him away, how can we display the same readiness to receive others in love when separation happens? 

We look at the last beatitudes. Blessings for those persecuted for righteousness' sake, and for those who are reviled and accused falsely on His account.

1) Were there times where you stood up for someone, showing justice and mercy, but got ridiculed or blamed for it? How did God comfort you and give you peace despite the lack of support, sometimes even from your closest and most respected peers?

2) We make many decisions in our lives, where the beautitudes could be very much applied. One very common decision-making challenge has been the popular decision which many will approve, vs the unpopular one but probably what is necessary for the holistic good. Think of what some of these decisions may be in your daily life, in your various capacities and roles. In your circle of influence, have you been making decisions that are driven by what makes the masses happy? Have the decisions been made for the good of the people and what they truly need, under God's guidance, but may not be what they desire?

We discuss another 2 beatitudes. Blessings for those pure in heart, and peacemakers.

1) Where do you see yourself in your longing for God? What are some clutters in your life that may be preventing you from experiencing and seeing God (e.g. material distractions in your life, a mindset, perhaps an insecurity or certain motivations we may have)? What are some practical ways you could seek God?

2) When in conflict, what are some things we may need to surrender to God to make peace, or things we may need to ask from God (is it pride, our own sense of justice, a lack of desire to know where the other person is coming from, a lack of wanting to show love, etc)? Share an experience of your own or of others you know of, where God has intervened, vs when we tried to do it our way. 

We look at the next 2 beatitudes. Blessings for those who long for righteousness, and those who are merciful.

1) Have we, as a church, and ourselves been looking at others with godly eyes, or have we judged too quickly (be it appearance or statuses as marginalised groups)? In the same way God looks into our hearts and knows our longing for a better world, how do we give hope for those who thirst for righteousness regardless of what they appear to be.

2) Think of a time and share when you did something wrong or made a mistake, deserving to be punished, but was shown mercy instead by the person you are accountable to. How did you feel? How are we able to make others feel the same by showing mercy (think of possible scenarios in your daily life)?

*further food for thought: Justice is giving people what they deserve (think in terms of punishment). Mercy is not giving people what they deserve (not punishing, being understanding towards shortcomings and difficulties). Showing Grace is giving people what they do not deserve (like how God offers us salvation despite our sins). How can we show grace to others, on top of being merciful?

We look at 3 beatitudes this day. Blessings for those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn, and those who are meek.

1) What does it mean to be poor in spirit? How can we be blessed when we are poor in spirit? How does being helpless, and more crucially, admitting and surrendering our helplessness bring us closer to God? Share an experience you may have or through others where peace comes through helplessness.

2) Share a time when God has comforted you in times of grief. When others are mourning, do you feel like you never know what to say to comfort them? Looking to God as our great comforter, what can we glean from that, in comforting others?

3) Does being meek means being weak? Many times we are given authority and power by God and feel the need to exercise them in all times. Share situations when you observed people who have the means to impose themselves but choose not to (e.g. someone choosing not to retaliate, someone choosing not to be caught in a 'race' on the road when provoked by another driver, someone knowledgeable and may have all the answers but chose not to impose their ideas.) Was God's love shown in them? Why did they choose to do that?

1) What are some of the limitations you may have placed on yourselves? From these limitations you have identified, could God remove those barriers and do wonders through you? Think of a time, or times when God has done wonders in your or others' lives through you which you did not thought possible previously.

2) Think of what may hold you back when you try to limit what God could do in your life. It may be pride, a lack of experience in a certain area, a personality trait or even a past experience haunting you or shaping your mental model. How can you yield some of these things to God each day?

1) When we choose people for certain roles or jobs, we make our judgements on whether they are suitable. We even place a marker on their 'estimated potential'. How does God choose His people? What can we learn from how God sees into the future and how He chooses and empowers His people? Many times, we may lament about leaders in power now. If we know it is God's plan for those leaders to be in power (though they do not seem favourable to us), how does that guide us in the way we express views about these leaders or in the way we reconcile (or recover even) from these decisions?

2) Jesus tells His disciples to follow Him, and also challenges us to do the same each day. When we long for God in our lives, we also pray to God and tell Him to have His way in our lives. What does that prayer actually mean for us? Are we ready and convicted when we say this prayer? How can we let God have full control of our lives?

1) God declares that we are His beloved children. We are all loved by Him. Have you felt that because you fall short, or are sinful that God may not love you? Is God's love for us dependent on how well we know the bible, or how much we serve in church, or how successful we are in life? Think of times where no matter what we become, God's open arms are always there to receive. 

2) Think of other people groups. Think of your enemies or people you find hard to love. Are they more undeserving of God's love? If God can love us no matter what we become or how much we sinned, can we show this same love to others? How do we do that, even for those we find hard to love?

1) Think of how we have tried to run church. What are some things we may have done that may have portrayed our image of God, in terms of entertainment, attractiveness or popularity? Have some actions shown a strong focus in growing finances, or too much emphasis in growing the congregation? What do people think of our God when they see us today? Through us, do they see a God of entertainment, of popularity, of prosperity, or one who is loving and wants to be in every part of our lives? What can we do to portray a God of love, and a church that represents its name, Agape?

2) Have we been seeking, to know how high and deep, how wide and long, God's love is for us? How do we seek after God with a passion? 

3) Have we been busy marketing our church, or do we do enough to go out to love the community? How we do we show love to the community?

1) God may not always send his message to us in the form of angels or dreams, but He speaks to us in different ways (spiritual promptings, through the word, visions, voices, or even through enemies). How does God speak to you? Where do those lead you to? If you feel that God does not speak to you, why is that? 

2) Was there a time when your suffering turned out to be a blessing for others, or when it ministered to others? Or perhaps, the suffering of others may have helped you? Share your experience.

3) How do we recognise or recall God's love for us throughout the day? (Suggested prayer exercise using podcast)

1) Why did God allow so much suffering in the world? How do we make sense of God's plan in allowing these things to happen, at times even through the hands of christians, done in the name of the Lord?

2) We were never promised a life without hardship. At times, the hardship may even come as we stand by our faith. However, we have the comfort of God being with us through those times. Think of a time when you may be in a dire situation, but you still felt God's love? What does that mean for you, facing life ahead?

3) How do we pray to cast our burdens upon God, and lament to Him in times of loss and mourning? (Suggested prayer exercise using podcast)

1) Are we like the ruler/leader with power and authority from God, but using that authority to benefit at the expanse of others? We could be the head of a household, or a boss at work. As a leader, how do we use our authority to shepherd the people under us, rather than use it to further our wealth or prestige?

2) As a follower, do we unthinkingly and blindly follow what others (christians or bosses) say is ok to do, even though it is wrong and unjust? Think of a time when you may have felt pressured or been asked to do something (it may be an instruction from an employer or an action that everyone else is doing), that may not be right. Is Jesus' love shown in those actions? What would Jesus have done?

3) Are we well versed in the word, but the word no longer moves us, and are just a load of facts and laws to us? How do we allow God's word to touch our hearts, transform us and leads us to love God more?