Foundation Church

In no real change from recent events, Jesus finds himself in another confrontation this time with the Sadducees. How does Jesus engage and teach these opponents and what can we learn about the essentials of our faith and what Jesus demands from us? Discipleship Questions: 1. Have you ever used the bible in a way that it wasn’t intended to be used to further your own ambition? What happened? 2. Why do you think that the Sadducees don’t like Jesus? 3. Have you had a passage of scripture illuminated and used by God to set your thinking straight? 4. When in your life have you put a knowledge about God above a relationship with God? How did that turn out? 5. How is your faith in God right now?

Jesus is engaged again with some of his attackers, and this time they try to trap him in-between two seemingly opposing relationships with the government. But, thru Jesus fashion he gives an answer to those who would try to trap him that provides for us in striation and wisdom in how we relate with those in authority above us in government. Discipleship Questions: 1. How have you previously engaged in politics or political discussions? 2, As a Christian how do you feel you have modeled Christ to others in political discussion? 3. How will you apply Jesus’ teaching in your life, especially in an election year? 4. How do you feel about exercising your freedom in Christ as it related to politics? 5. Why is our allegiance to Christ greater than our allegiance to a political party?

Jesus often speaks very hard and disturbing Truth to those who he is surrounded by, and often to communicate this Truth he uses the form of a story. In this message we see Jesus using a disturbing story to illustrate an even more disturbing truth. Discipleship Questions: 1. Why does Jesus choose to communicate this difficult truth in the form of a parable? 2. How do you feel after reading this parable? What raw emotions are you experiencing? 3. Have you rejected Jesus as the cornerstone of your life before? What happened? 4. Tell the group about a time when you were convicted by the Holy Spirit and hardened your heart. How did God’s love lead you to repentance? 5. What encouragement does Ephesians 4:30 bring to you?

The religious leaders come directly to Jesus to ask him who has given him the authority to do the many miraculous things he's been doing during his ministry. Jesus offers to answer the question they pose with a question.

In what might be one of the strangest passages of scripture surrounding Jesus’ earthly ministry, in this passage we see a physical object used as an objective lesson. As such we learn much about what God desires in faithfulness and expects in fruitfulness in the lives of his people. Discipleship Questions: 1. Have you created a picture of Jesus in your mind that doesn’t seem like the Jesus we read about in our text? How do you feel after seeing Jesus’ actions? 2. Why was the action we read about at the temple so enraging to Jesus? 3. What is the significance of the fig tree in our passage? 4. Do you feel as if your life is categorized by fruitfulness or fruitlessness right now? Why do you think that is? 5. How does understanding sanctification bring you hope for the coming seasons of your life?

Jesus’ arrival to Jerusalem marks an important point in the Gospel of Mark. Not only does Jesus ready himself for his coming death, but the nation of Israel also greets their coming King with no true understanding of his purpose or true mission. This passage fulfills many of the messianic prophecies in the Old Testament and is a powerful picture of Jesus’ revelation of his true messianic identity. Discipleship Questions: 1. Read Mark 11:1-11. Why do you think Mark was so descriptive in his recollection of this event? What stands out to you in this passage? 2. What might Jesus be asking you to lay down in your life so you can honor him as King? 3. What is the significance of the crowd shouting “Hosanna” as Jesus enters Jerusalem? 4. Have you asked Jesus to save you? How did he respond? 5. Is Jesus King of your life? How would anyone know?

As Jesus closes his journey to Jerusalem he passes through the city of Jericho where the crowd presses around him. In this chaos, we see that he is active and powerfully at work healing a man named Bartimaeus. Please listen as we learn from Bartimaeus' story, and the players in this account of Jesus’ mighty work. Discipleship Questions: 1. In the passage of scripture we studied (Mark 10:46-52), what is the one detail in particular that stands out to you, why? 2. When have you acted as a scoffer? Why do you think you did this? Have you repented? 3. When was the last time you were encouraged by someone? What effect did it have on you? 4. How do you think you can grow as an encourager? 5. Have you felt like Bartimaeus? How did God respond to you?

We are all leaders of something. Different people look up to us in different ways and there is no shortage of opinion out there of how to lead at work, home and the church, but what does Jesus tell us about leadership and our ambitions to be in power. In this passage, Jesus is faced with the ambition of the disciples and responds with his usual clarity about how things happen in the kingdom of God, something that is, as usual, completely different to how the world around us thinks. Discipleship Questions: 1. Why do you think that some theologians believe this passage is the key to understanding the Gospel of Mark? 2. What specifically are you encouraged by when you see Jesus’ humility in his leadership? 3. Looking at your own ambitions, where do you see similarities with James and John in your motivations? 4. How does believing the gospel free us from ungodly ambition and allow us to simply serve? 5. Read Mark 10:45, discuss the implications of this passage for your life and for the ‘many’.

God’s Kingdom is one of the major themes in the scriptures, what is it? And how does the church play a role in the establishing of the Kingdom of God in the world? But furthermore how does God, equip, call and provide the authority to his Church to achieve this mission? Discipleship Questions 1. How have you understood the concept of the Kingdom of God in the past? 2. Why is receiving both ‘Promise’ and ‘Power’ from Jesus important if we are going to be used by God in his Kingdom? 3. How do you feel about being given the authority by Jesus to do his kingdom work? 4. Being a part of a local church is the key to understanding the use of God’s authority, how have you seen the church do God’s work? 5. Read Rev 12:10-11, what does this passage describe? Notice the use of inclusive language (they, their) how do you see the passage differently in light of this?

In living a perfect life, Jesus has provided for us a perfect example in all things but in particular he shows us what it is to serve. How does the gospel lead us to be amazed by and follow Jesus’ example in humble service? Discipleship Questions: What are some ways you expect to be served in different areas of your life? How do you react when you aren’t served in the way you believe you should? When has God served you in tangible ways throughout your life? Of the three types of Christian service (inside, outside and church) which do you find the easiest? Why? Who is God calling you to serve right now? How will you be obedient to him?

The whole bible is essentially one grand and powerful narrative that shapes and molds those who believe and submit to its teachings. But what is the point of this great narrative? Is it simply to modify or change someone's behavior, their outlook on life, or to encourage them in tough times? Or is there something else at the point of this great story? Join us as we study why the bible and it’s teaching is a ‘Pillar’ of Foundation Church. Discipleship Questions: 1. What are some things you have been told about the bible that you now longer believe to be true? 2. If Jesus is central to the bible’s story then how should you read the bible? 3. Why is the cross of Jesus Christ the defining moment in all history? 4. What is the gospel? 5. Why does believing the gospel have such a powerful effect on our lives?

Love plays a bigger role in our lives than we all might think. As humans to be deprived of love has grave and destructive results. How are we as God’s people able to receive and empowered to give God’s love out effectively to all people? Discipleship Questions: 1. When in your life has the absence of love affected you? 2. Have you tried to give love from your own strength and failed? How did that feel? 3. How does understanding your position in God’s family encourage you to show God’s love? 4. What role does the community of God’s people play in showing love to others? 5. In what way has God opened a door for you to love others? Will you do it?

What is the mission and vision of Foundation Church over the next year? Where is God already at work in our midst and what is he calling us as a church to? Join us as we strive to be used by God to bring the whole gospel to Everett, Snohomish County and to the ends of the earth. Discipleship Questions: How does 1 Cor 3:11 bring you comfort in your own life and in the life of our church? In all that God is doing in Snohomish County, what brings you the most excitement? What do you see God doing in your neighborhood? How might God be calling you to bring the whole gospel (word and deed) to your community? How are you going to be an active part of Foundation Church over the next year?

After the Rich young ruler left Jesus’ presence it allowed for a teachable moment for he and his disciples. In this teaching, Jesus presses on one of his favorite topics, money. In his teaching and the following dialogue he makes it very clear that the relationship that we have with money right now is going to affect our eternity. Discipleship Questions: 1. What does your current relationship with wealth (monetary or otherwise) look like? 2. Why do you think Jesus makes such a big deal about the effect of loving wealth? 3. Is there an area of your life where you are currently serving two masters? What does repentance look like for you? 4. How do you feel when you are generous with your wealth? And what does that teach you about God’s intentions for wealth? 5. What is God calling you to do in regards to being generous with your wealth?

Jesus is confronted by a very ambitious young man who has an almost spotless resume of good works and law keeping. But this young man get’s far more than he bargained for when Jesus tells him what he must do to inherit eternal life. So what does this mean for us if we are serious about our desire to inherit eternal life? Discipleship Questions: 2. What are some incorrect caricatures of Jesus you have held to in your past? How were they challenged and changed as you grew in Christ? 2. Why does keeping the first commandment ensure that you will keep the other nine? 3. What would Jesus tell you to give up if you were standing in the 'Rich Young Rulers' place? 4. Why is idolatry a big deal? And why would it keep you from inheriting eternal life? 5, Practically what changes do you need to make in your life right now to be faithful to Jesus and follow him alone?

In Jesus day children were seen as insignificant and of little value, so when the disciples try to stop some children bothering Jesus they would have never expected his response. Jesus responds to their efforts with a significant outburst, what can we learn from how Jesus see’s those with little value, and what does this teach us about the Kingdom of God. Discipleship Questions: 1. Why do you think that Jesus responded with such powerful emotion to the actions of the disciples? 2. How does a good understanding of the ‘Image of God’ or Imago Dei inform how you see humanity? 3. In your own words, how do you receive the Kingdom of God like a child? 4. Have you had to wrestle with how God relates to children? How does this passage help your thoughts? 5. Take some time in prayer and ask Jesus to show you his love for you.

We have all be affected in some way by the falling apart of a marriage and the divorce that follows. But in our culture divorce is considered the norm, and in some cases even celebrated. What does God have to say on this issue? And what does Jesus show us about God’s intentions for marriage? Discipleship Questions: 1. How have you been affected by divorce? 2. What has been your attitude towards divorce in the past? How does Jesus' teaching differ from your attitude? 3. Why do you think that Jesus goes back to the book of Genesis to teach about God’s intentions for marriage? 4. Why is it important to take the full counsel of scripture when studying a topic like divorce? 5. How does the completed work of Jesus on the cross apply to divorce and your experience with it?

We all struggle with jealousy in some way, and sadly within the church it is somewhat of an ‘acceptable sin’, but that is not how Jesus sees it. Jealousy in ministry, the warning about leading people astray, and a call to holiness as the remedy categorize this text. How can we a modern christians apply Jesus' teaching into our lives and allow it to be used by God to further his mission? Discipleship Questions: 1. What are you currently jealous of? How is God calling you to trust him in your jealousy? 2. Why do you think Jesus uses such powerful imagery when calling his disciples to holiness? 3. In what area of your life are you currently struggling to be holy? 4. How do you think you can be used as a preserving and peaceful influence in your relationships? 5. Describe a time when you were empowered by the Holy Spirit to put sin to death and be holy. How did you feel during that time?

Pride is a deeply rooted and painful reality of our sinful condition, and each one of us is affected significantly by it. Pride’s polar opposite is humility, something that Jesus set’s us a perfect example in. How do we then confront pride in our life with Jesus as our perfect example? Discipleship Questions: 1. Explain the time in your life when you were the most prideful, what was the effect your attitude had on the relationships around you? 2. Did your pride end in destruction? What did that look like? 3. Examine your life right now, what are the greatest temptations to fall into the sin of pride? 4. What does it look like for you to love and receive into your life someone who is considered ‘insignificant’? 5. How does Jesus example of humility as outlined in Philippians 2:3-11 impact you?

Nothing seems to halt the work of God in our lives like a lack of faith. In this passage Jesus encounters a desperate father in an incredibly chaotic scene and he lovingly prompts a response of faith that results in a miraculous healing. What can we learn from Jesus’ example for our own lives in particular how we relate to Jesus in faith. Discipleship Questions 1. In the passage of scripture we are studying (Mark 9:14-29) what is the most interesting thing to you? Why? 2. Why do you think belief (faith) is such a big deal in this passage? 3. Do you feel like Jesus looks on you with compassion? Discuss 4. What role has the community of God’s people played in relieving your suffering? 5. What area’s of your life do you need to talk to God with more faith in?