John 7:1-13
Life Group Questions:
1. If you were not able to hear this week’s sermon, consider going to the church website and listening to it. What are some main ideas that you gathered from the sermon? What, if any, questions did the sermon cause for you or do you desire to have additional clarification?
2. Read through our passage and describe at least four points the world’s confusion about Jesus. Have you ever been the victim of another person’s misconception about you? Do you ever get frustrated when other people question your character and motives? How should we handle criticism?
3. Describe a time when somebody tried to intimidate you to do something they wanted. How did that make you feel? Do you struggle with being intimidated or influenced by other people’s pressure? What kind of principles should guide us in our response during such situations?
4. How did people try to intimidate Jesus? What was the core reason some people did not respect and honor Jesus for who He really was (cf. vs. 5)? Do you think that Jesus struggled with the pressure that was directed toward Him by other people? Explain.
5. Do you feel that Jesus was misleading or deceptive to His brothers about His attendance at the Feast of Tabernacles? Why or why not? Do you believe that the writer, John, would intentionally present Jesus as deceptive; would that fit his view of Jesus? How does John 7:10 help us better understand this situation?
6. Jesus states in this passage that the world hates Him (cf. vs. 7). Do you believe that the world still hates Jesus? Why or why not? If so, in what way(s) do we see the hatred of the world expressed toward Jesus? How should we and can we counter the world’s hatred of Jesus?
7. What strikes you most about the statement that the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus? Who exactly is John referencing as “the Jews?” How do you think they justified their intent to kill Jesus when the Law states “you shall not murder” (cf. Exodus 20:13)?
8. Describe the confusion about the character of Jesus in John 7:12. Why do you think some people considered Jesus a good man? On what basis do you think some thought Jesus was leading people astray?