THREE THINGS TO KNOW
DON’T MISS THIS. Each year, our Christmas Offering ensures the overall financial health of Ada Bible Church and our ability to support ministry work in our city and beyond. We’re thrilled to partner with Mel Trotter Ministries to address the critical need for affordable housing in Grand Rapids. Our church is stepping in to help furnish the kitchens in the first ten homes scheduled for completion in 2025. Our CHRISTMAS OFFERING is December 14/15. For more information, click HERE.
GROUP VALUES. This December, we’re focusing on SPIRITUAL PRACTICES. Christians have been doing these activities for centuries in concert with the Holy Spirit to train themselves to be godly. Building or restarting these habits deepens our relationship with God and molds us more into the character of Jesus. As a group, share what practices you have used to grow in your Christian faith.
GROW AS A LEADER. Have you taken the SPIRITUAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT? In Small Groups at Ada Bible, our objective is to make disciples in relational environments. This assessment is a practical tool to support that goal. It focuses on four essential areas for spiritual growth: Bible Engagement, Christian Beliefs, Spiritual Practices, and Christlikeness. To take the assessment with your group, click HERE. Then, have a conversation about what you learn and how you can grow together.
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Welcome to the second week of our sermon series, ANCESTORS OF THE KING. This week, we explore the incredible implication of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David and how this affects our understanding of who Jesus is and what he came to do.
ICEBREAKER
What’s the most interesting or meaningful story about your family lineage that you know?
THIS WEEK’S TEXT
Have someone read 2 Samuel 7:11-16 and Matthew 1:1 aloud.
What specific promises does God make to David in 2 Samuel 7:11-16?
How does God describe the relationship he will have with David’s descendants?
In what ways does 2 Samuel 7:11-16 hint at something greater than an earthly kingdom?
THIS WEEK’S SERMON
Pastor Aaron continued our sermon series, ANCESTORS OF THE KING, by discussing the significance of Jesus being a King from the lineage of King David.
How do world leaders fall short of being true “shepherd kings,” leaders who truly care for their people?
Jesus described himself as the Good Shepherd who “lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). How should knowing Jesus is a shepherd king change our understanding of his leadership in our lives?
Share a moment when you felt Jesus was leading you like a good shepherd. What did that look like, and how did you respond?
Where in your life are you currently struggling to trust Jesus’s leadership and that his way is best? What steps could you take to trust his leadership this week?
Pastor Aaron taught that Jesus is not just a gentle shepherd but also a warrior king who defeats evil. In what ways does the idea of Jesus as a warrior king challenge our typical understanding of Jesus?
How does Jesus, as a warrior king, give you hope in the face of injustice and evil in our world?
Have someone read Isaiah 11:6-9 and Revelation 21:3-5 aloud. Looking at these descriptions of Jesus’s forever reign, what aspects of this future restoration give you the most hope in difficult times?
How does understanding Jesus as King differ from seeing him only as a personal Savior?
Jesus said his sheep listen to his voice and follow him (John 10:3-4). What would it look like to truly listen to Jesus’s voice and submit to his kingly authority in your daily life?
WRAP UP
This week, we explored the depth of Jesus as the Messiah, the promised King, the son of David. What’s one specific way you can acknowledge Jesus as King in your life this week?