Alive in Christ. Transformed for mission.

Capstone Ministries

Like a Child // Mark 10:13-27

Drawn To Jesus // John 12:1-11

A Better Way // 1 Corinthians 5:12-6:8

Becoming Fools // 1 Corinthians 3:18-4:5

The Cornerstone // Isaiah 28:14-22

The Signet Ring // Haggai 2:20-23

House Church Questions 
 
1. Share with one another any challenges or blessings you experienced this past week. 
 
2. Lucas referred to Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 as a thesis statement of 1 &2 Samuel. In her prayer, Hannah describes the reversal of fortunes––the way in which God is at work to turn the powers and value systems of our world upside down (verses 4-9). Why, then, did God satisfy the people’s demand for a king “like that of the nations,” (i.e. a king that satisfies worldly values)? What can we learn from this, in terms of our looking for security in leadership for our church, community, or country? 
 
3. As we read through 1 Samuel 9, we see that Saul has a helpful attitude towards his father in looking for the donkeys and an open ear in listening to his servant. Yet there are subtle indications of things missing in Saul’s life that you might expect from a godly leader. What are they? (see v. 5, 18-19, 21). What qualities does the New Testament look for in leaders that may have been lacking in Saul? (i.e., Matt. 23:11; Rom. 12:11; 1 Tim. 3:1; 1 Pet. 5:2). 
 
4. After Samuel anointed Saul, God changed Saul’s heart, and the Spirit of the Lord came on him (1 Sam. 10:6-10). Later, however, we’ll see that Saul had a sad ending in disobedience to God. Are things different today than in Old Testament times? What might John have meant when he said that the Spirit had not yet been given (John 7:37-39), or Paul when he describes Christian regeneration by the Spirit (Titus 3:4-7)? 
 
5. In the stories of Hannah, Samuel, and Saul in 1 Sam. 1-9 (and in the Christmas narratives of Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary in Luke 1-2), God uses the ordinary circumstances of life to accomplish his purposes. How does this encourage us and give us hope in the midst of our own very ordinary circumstances of life? (see Matt. 6:31-34; Rom. 8:25-30). 
 
6. Contrast the characteristics that the Messiah, Israel’s final king, would have (Isaiah 49:7; 53:2-3) with Israel’s expectations for “a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have” (1 Sam. 8:5; 9:1-2). How can we as believers train ourselves to see leadership from God’s perspective? On the one hand, what qualities should godly and effective Christian leaders have that are similar to those of successful secular leaders, and, on the other hand, what qualities should they have that differ from those of secular leaders?

House Church Questions

1. Share with one another any challenges or blessings you experienced this past week.

2. Lucas referred to Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 as a thesis statement of 1 &2 Samuel. In her prayer, Hannah describes the reversal of fortunes––the way in which God is at work to turn the powers and value systems of our world upside down (verses 4-9). Why, then, did God satisfy the people’s demand for a king “like that of the nations,” (i.e. a king that satisfies worldly values)? What can we learn from this, in terms of our looking for security in leadership for our church, community, or country?

3. As we read through 1 Samuel 9, we see that Saul has a helpful attitude towards his father in looking for the donkeys and an open ear in listening to his servant. Yet there are subtle indications of things missing in Saul’s life that you might expect from a godly leader. What are they? (see v. 5, 18-19, 21). What qualities does the New Testament look for in leaders that may

Exactly What You Asked For // 1 Samuel 9:1-10:16

House Church Questions 
 
1. Share with one another any challenges or blessings you experienced this past week. 
 
2. What do you think the people’s expectations were for the Messiah in verses 35-36, as they spread their cloaks on the road for him to ride upon, coming into Jerusalem? How do these compare with Hannah’s expectations for the Lord’s anointed, back in 1 Samuel 2.4-10? How do they compare with Jesus’ own expectations in coming to be Israel's Saviour (see Matthew 20.17-28)? 
 
3. In verses 37-38, the people quote from Psalm 118. This was the final psalm read by the Jews at Passover Time, as part of the Jewish Hallel (Psalms 113-118). Read the verses surrounding verse 26 (i.e. verses 22-29), and discuss how it might apply to Christ. How do you think the Jews on Palm Sunday might have understood verse 22? (Note: both verse 22 and verse 26 are each quoted five times in the New Testament, to refer to Christ.) 
 
4. In verses 39-40, some of the Pharisees criticized the crowd's proclamation of Jesus as King. But Jesus replied that if they kept silent, the stones – the most inanimate things one can think of – would cry out. How do you plan to proclaim Christ as King in your life, home, or with your friends this coming Easter weekend? 
 
5. In Luke 19.40-44, rather than celebrating his triumphant entry, Jesus was weeping over Jerusalem because he knew that it would reject him as Messiah (as Psalm 118.22 had predicted) and, as a consequence, would be totally destroyed. When is the last time that you wept over your neighbourhood, your city, or your country? What would this look like today? 
 
6. Despite the ultimate rejection of Jesus as King, there is actually a lot to celebrate in this story. In particular, in this story we see the humility and submission of Christ who was willing to do his Father’s will in going to Jerusalem at Passover Time though he knew it would result in his sacrifice on the cross. Read that great poem in Philippians 2.1-11, once again, and share what you see of the humility and triumph of Christ there. Spend some time praying that God would shape us into a community that reflects this kind of humility.

House Church Questions

1. Share with one another any challenges or blessings you experienced this past week.

2. What do you think the people’s expectations were for the Messiah in verses 35-36, as they spread their cloaks on the road for him to ride upon, coming into Jerusalem? How do these compare with Hannah’s expectations for the Lord’s anointed, back in 1 Samuel 2.4-10? How do they compare with Jesus’ own expectations in coming to be Israel's Saviour (see Matthew 20.17-28)?

3. In verses 37-38, the people quote from Psalm 118. This was the final psalm read by the Jews at Passover Time, as part of the Jewish Hallel (Psalms 113-118). Read the verses surrounding verse 26 (i.e. verses 22-29), and discuss how it might apply to Christ. How do you think the Jews on Palm Sunday might have understood verse 22? (Note: both verse 22 and verse 26 are each quoted five times in the New Testament, to refer to Christ.)

4. In verses 39-40, some of the Pharisees criticized the crowd's proclamatio

Not Like the Other Nations // Luke 19:35-44

Out of the wrestling, comes transformation. 
 
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♫ Music ♫ 
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen​​​ 
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify​​​ 
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

Out of the wrestling, comes transformation.

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♫ Music ♫
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen​​​
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify​​​
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

Jacob's Wrestling Match // Genesis 32:24-30

Intercessory prayer bridges the gap between God and us and is a weapon for our battles against evil that carries a lasting impact. 
 
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♫ Music ♫ 
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen​​ 
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify​​ 
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

Intercessory prayer bridges the gap between God and us and is a weapon for our battles against evil that carries a lasting impact.

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♫ Music ♫
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen​​
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify​​
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

The Power of Intercession // Colossians 4:2-3

The Often Forgotten Response // Psalm 18:1-19

Do we know who we are coming to when we pray? 
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♫ Music ♫ 
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen 
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify 
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

Do we know who we are coming to when we pray?
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♫ Music ♫
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

The Character of God // 1 Chronicles 16:8-36

House Church Questions: 
 
1. Share with one another any challenges or blessings you experienced this past week. 
 
Lucas focused on three things in his message: the posture of prayer (v. 26), the power of prayer (v. 27), and the purpose of prayer (v. 28). 
 
2. What posture (that is, attitude and disposition) did Hannah have when she prayed (see 1 Sam. 1:15, 26)? Read Psalm 62:8 and discuss the posture that God desires us to have when we pray. How can “pouring out our heart before the Lord” be a way of trusting God? 
 
3. Verse 27 shows us the power of prayer: God gave Hannah a son because she asked him. Lucas emphasized this key principle: “Prayer causes things to happen that would not happen if we did not pray,” and then shared an example from campus ministry. Share personal or historical examples of this principle with reference also to James 4:2 and Ephesians 3:20. 
 
4. Is there anything you are asking God for specifically, this year, for yourself, your family, community, city, province, country, or world, that you would like to share with the others? 
 
5. Hannah demonstrated the purpose of prayer (v. 28), by giving Samuel to the Lord and then worshipping (“she worshipped,” Dead Sea Scrolls). In what ways is prayer an act of worship? What might it look like for us to worship the Lord when we pray? 
 
6. Sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayer, even though we pour out our hearts to him. Has this every happened to you? If so, how did it affect you? God answered Hannah’s prayer, which led to Jesus through David and Samuel, but God did not answer Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup [of suffering] pass from me” (Luke 22:44). Reflect on this together. How does God provide for us when he chooses not to answer our prayers? ( see 2 Corinthians 12:8-9). 
 
Note: You might like to play one of the hymns we sung on Sunday (This is Amazing Grace, Yes and Amen, or Before the Throne of God Above) over Zoom. It may work best to download it from iTunes to your computer and “share” it from there, rather than playing it from YouTube.

House Church Questions:

1. Share with one another any challenges or blessings you experienced this past week.

Lucas focused on three things in his message: the posture of prayer (v. 26), the power of prayer (v. 27), and the purpose of prayer (v. 28).

2. What posture (that is, attitude and disposition) did Hannah have when she prayed (see 1 Sam. 1:15, 26)? Read Psalm 62:8 and discuss the posture that God desires us to have when we pray. How can “pouring out our heart before the Lord” be a way of trusting God?

3. Verse 27 shows us the power of prayer: God gave Hannah a son because she asked him. Lucas emphasized this key principle: “Prayer causes things to happen that would not happen if we did not pray,” and then shared an example from campus ministry. Share personal or historical examples of this principle with reference also to James 4:2 and Ephesians 3:20.

4. Is there anything you are asking God for specifically, this year, for yourself, your family, community, city, province, c

The Lord Has Granted // 1 Samuel 1:21-28

Responding to God's invitation to interceded.

Because He Asked // Genesis 18:22-33

At time when many of us might be making New Year resolutions, David shows us a holy simplicity by asking for and seeking after just one thing.

One Thing // Psalm 27:4

House Church Questions: 
 
1. Share with each other challenges and blessings experienced this past week. 
 
2. On Sunday, we sang O Come Let Us Adore Him and Christmas Offering. How do these hymns relate to the story of the Magi? How are these hymns meaningful to you at this time of year? 
 
3. A Shocking Question: Lucas said that when the Magi arrived at Jerusalem they asked King Herod “a shocking question” (vv. 1-3). In what way was the Magi's question shocking? As we seek Christ, like the Magi, is there any question we could ask the leaders in our society today that might shock them? Or would it be better not to ask any such questions? 
 
4. A Royal Confrontation: The next few verses (vv. 4-6) describe what Lucas called “a royal confrontation” between King Herod and Jesus, the true king born in Bethlehem. In what ways is King Jesus different from Herod and other human rulers and institutions throughout history and today? In what ways does the Kingdom of God confront and challenge the kingdoms of the world? 
 
5. A Polarizing Response: Compare and contrast the responses of King Herod and the Magi (vv. 6-12) upon hearing that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem in fulfillment of Micah's prophecy (Micah 5:2). How do you think today's world leaders would react if a powerful, undeniable announcement came from heaven saying that Christ was returning in exactly one year to take over his rightful authority? 
 
6. Herod the Great ruled for over 30 years and took on many outstanding building projects including the renovation of the second temple. He was also a ruthless tyrant, however, according to historians. By contrast, the kings of Israel were intended to function as shepherd rulers (i.e., Psalm 78:70-71). Discuss several things that you think should characterize shepherd leaders in the church. 
 
7. In what ways do you think the celebration of Christmas in the western world might represent a clash of kingdoms? 
 
8. When we first confessed Jesus as Lord, we no doubt did so with the intention of obeying what he commanded. But when we think of him as the good shepherd, great shepherd, or chief shepherd (John 10:11, Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 5:3-4), what aspects of our relationship with Christ come to mind other than our obedience?

House Church Questions:

1. Share with each other challenges and blessings experienced this past week.

2. On Sunday, we sang O Come Let Us Adore Him and Christmas Offering. How do these hymns relate to the story of the Magi? How are these hymns meaningful to you at this time of year?

3. A Shocking Question: Lucas said that when the Magi arrived at Jerusalem they asked King Herod “a shocking question” (vv. 1-3). In what way was the Magi's question shocking? As we seek Christ, like the Magi, is there any question we could ask the leaders in our society today that might shock them? Or would it be better not to ask any such questions?

4. A Royal Confrontation: The next few verses (vv. 4-6) describe what Lucas called “a royal confrontation” between King Herod and Jesus, the true king born in Bethlehem. In what ways is King Jesus different from Herod and other human rulers and institutions throughout history and today? In what ways does the Kingdom of God confront and challenge the kingdo

The Clash of Kings // Matthew 2:1-12

Appealing to Caesar // Acts 25:1-12

The Scary Gospel // Acts 24:22-27

What does it look like to cast off our anxiety in this season? 
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♫ Music ♫ 
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen 
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify 
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

What does it look like to cast off our anxiety in this season? 
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♫ Music ♫
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

Cast off Anxiety // Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

Whose voice are you hearing and how are you responding? 
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♫ Music ♫ 
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen 
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify 
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

Whose voice are you hearing and how are you responding?
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♫ Music ♫
Chillhop: http://chillhop.com/listen
Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify
Leavv - “Driftwood”: https://soundcloud.com/leavv

Capstone Ministries Videos