Click here for the sermon discussion questions or see them listed below. We highly encourage you to listen, think, and talk about the sermon. These are questions you can reflect on by yourself, with your family, or with your small group.

Discussion Questions 

1. Why do you think people have a hard time acknowledging greatness in a person whom they consider either below them, or their equal?  Why is it difficult for older brothers and sisters when their younger siblings surpass them in skill, intellect or accomplishment?  What is at the root of this?

2. In what ways do you think Jesus could have been more sensitive to the needs and feelings of the Jews as He made His Messianic proclamation?  Do you think it might have been more effective at winning the Jews to Himself if He had been just a little more “politically correct”?  Why do you think Jesus went “straight for the jugular” in addressing the Nazarithites’ pride?

3. Why do you think it was Jesus’ custom to be in the synagogue with God’s people, worshiping and sitting under the teaching of God’s Word every Sabbath?  Is it right to correlate Jesus’ custom with today’s believer?  Why or why not? 

4. Why is it critical that all people understand that their sin has impoverished, imprisoned, blinded, and oppressed every sinner?  What is the sinner’s only hope?  Why do you think so many people reject this hope?  Do you think this kind of rejection occurs even within the church?  If so, how?

5. The Jews in Nazareth were infuriated when Jesus implied that God’s blessing would go to believing gentiles instead of unbelieving Jews.  What “nerve” did Jesus’ words touch, that so infuriated the Jews to the point of murder?  How do you see this same behavior in people today?