Welcome to Sunday Fuel! This series of questions is designed to assist your personal reflection and fellowship with others about the sermon from this past Sunday.

Go to This Sunday’s Sermon (start at 17:33)

Pastor Kim describes two forms of mercy: showing active compassion towards someone in need and forgiving others who have sinned against you. 

1. Read the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matt. 18:21-35, followed by Eph 2:1-10, especially focusing on verses 4-5. Meditate on the rich mercy and abundant love of God shown to you in Christ. 

• Do you struggle to believe this aspect of God’s character, due to past shame or suffering? Ask God to help you take a step of faith to believe his mercy and love are for you. 
• If this fails to move you, what might be behind your unresponsiveness: self-sufficiency, pride, a heart hardened by bitterness, a preference for the world’s goods over spiritual blessings? Will you confess this to the Lord? 

2. As you reflect on God’s mercy towards you, is there someone you may need to forgive as a first act of mercy? Keeping Matt. 18:21-35 and Eph. 2:1-10 in mind, will you willingly cancel their debts to you, as God has done for you in Christ? 

3. The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) contrasts him against the priest and Levite who see the need and walk away on the other side. Read Matt. 25:41-46 and think about how we might do this today and what our inaction suggests. Follow up with 1 John 3:18. Based on these scriptures, state in your own words why 1) showing mercy is not a means to salvation but 2) not just nice but necessary for those who claim to be followers of Christ. 

4. What are some needs that you see around you? What might it cost you in finances, time, or comfort—for you or your family? 

• If you feel fear or worry, for yourself or your family, express your concerns to God. What would it mean for you to willingly absorb the deficit the needs of others creates? Will you trust God to help and reward you? 
• If you feel resistance, what idols of God’s good gifts might you have made into gods? What would it mean for you to turn from these and step in faith? 

5. Are there needs you can team up with others in the church family to help fulfill together? As a church, Lighthouse is committed to stewarding our resources to minister with compassion to needs around us, including our focus ministry, Foster the City. If you’d like to be involved in the compassion efforts of the church, please check out the Compassion Ministry page to indicate your interest.