Here are some questions based on last Sunday’s sermon text (John 7:40-52), in case they’re helpful to you for personal growth or group discussion…

• [40-41] Israel awaited a “Prophet” like Moses (Deut. 18:15-18), and a “Messiah/Christ” or “Anointed One” (a Priest or King). Why? What is so important about a Prophet/Priest/King? How is Jesus really the Prophet/Priest/King the whole world needs?

• [43] “There was a division among the people over him.” That’s a great summary of the whole world, actually; people are divided over Jesus, either for him or against him. How important is that division to you? How noticeable is it to you on a daily basis? What are we supposed to do with the knowledge that people are divided over Jesus?

• [45-52] The religious leaders wanted to believe they were doing God’s will by resisting Jesus, but their resistance to Jesus just exposed the fact that they were actually sinning against God and others. They thought they could “do life well” apart from Jesus, but they were deluding themselves—and the worst part was that they were hardened up enough that they couldn’t perceive that about themselves. How are you trying to “do life well” apart from Jesus, whether that manifests itself in open hostility toward him or more “benign” ignoring of him? How are you made able to perceive or detect these things in yourself? How does the Gospel apply to these areas in your life? What would it look like to “do life” in these areas with Jesus instead of apart from him?