Main Text: Matthew 13:47–52 (ESV) 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Preaching Point: The urgency of the gospel message requires us to take God's impending judgment seriously, using every page of Scripture to make the case for salvation.

Teaching Points:

1. See the Whole Picture vv47-48
2. Share the Whole Gospel vv49-50
3. Use the Whole Bible vv51-52

Main Text: Galatians 5:16–23 (ESV) 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Preaching Point: Joy should be one of the most defining characteristics of every Christian, manifesting in their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Teaching Points:

1. Christian Joy Comes from Receiving God’s Grace
2. Joy is Suppressed by Sin
3. Joy is the Key to Dealing with Life

Main Text: Matthew 13:1–9; 18–23 (ESV) 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”...18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Preaching Point: The prevalence of mixed responses to Jesus should prompt us to carefully examine our own response to the message of the gospel.

Textual Points:

1. Hard-heartedness is a Reason People Reject Christ. vv3-4, 19
2. Trials Are a Reason People Reject Christ. vv5-6, 20-21
3. Worldly Pursuits Are a Reason People Reject Christ. vv7, 22
4. Followers of Christ Yield Lifelong Fruit. vv8, 23

Main Text: James 4:1–10 (ESV) 1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Preaching Point: Knowing that worldly desires wreak havoc on God’s people and even oppose God, every Christian must examine their desires and, when necessary, repent and seek God’s forgiveness.

Teaching Points:

1. Keep Your Desires in Check vv1-4
2. Expect God to Pursue You vv5-6
3. Humbly Respond to God vv7-10

Main Text: Matthew 13:10–17 (ESV) 10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Preaching Point: Sincerely commit to following Jesus, knowing that His truths are revealed to those who seek Him and hidden from those who reject Him.

Teaching Points:

1. Grasp the Purpose of Jesus’ Parables vv11-13
2. See the Urgency of Repentance vv14-15
3. Rejoice in Your Privileged Position vv16-17

Textual Summary: The disciples ask Jesus why he teaches in parables, and Jesus responds by revealing that they have been given the gift to know the secrets of the Kingdom, but others have not. He tells them that those who possess this wisdom will receive more, while those who do not, even what they do have, will be taken away. As a result, even though they hear and see, they will never understand. This fulfills Isaiah 6:8–13, where God tells Isaiah to preach to Israel, but God will close their ears and shut their eyes so they will not repent and will receive His judgment. Jesus then tells the disciples how fortunate they are to have eyes that see and ears that hear because many throughout history wished to see what the disciples were seeing and hearing but never had the opportunity.

Textual Point: Jesus used parables to convey the mysteries of the Kingdom to those who truly desired to follow Him while concealing the truth from those who rejected Him.

Preaching Point: Staying connected to Jesus is the only way to experience the meaningful, fruitful, and joy-filled year you hope for in 2025.

Main Text: John 15:1–11 (ESV) 1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Teaching Points:

1. Expect God to Get His Hands Dirty vv1-3
2. Anticipate Your Full Participation in the Work vv4-6
3. Reap the Benefits of Faithful Cooperation with God vv7-11

Preaching Point: God's promise of a “Conquering Seed”, initiated in Eden and echoed throughout Israel's history, assures us that His plan for salvation is unfailing and ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

Main Texts: Genesis 3:1–19, Genesis 4:25, Genesis 6:9–10, Genesis 9:20–29, Genesis 12:1–3, Genesis 17:1–21, Genesis 21:12, Genesis 28:10–14, Genesis 49:8–10

Teaching Points:

1. God’s Justice Demands Judgment, But His Mercy Provides Hope.
2. God’s Judgment is Also the Means of His Salvation.
3. God Doesn’t Need Help Fulfilling His Promises.
4. God’s Promises Are Not Impacted by Human Limitations.
5. God is Looking for Faithfulness to His Promises.
6. God’s Promises Are Still True in Captivity.

Preaching Point: Your relationship with Christ is defined by how you respond to His identity, which should be evident through your obedience to the Father’s will.

Main Text: Matthew 12:46–50 (ESV) 46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Teaching Points:

1. Redefine How Someone Rightly Relates to Jesus vv46-48
2. Does Jesus call you family? V49
3. Identify if You Posses the Family Trait v50

We also look at chapter three of our Small Group Book, Keeping the Church Small: Small Group Strategies for Growing Churches.