In Pursuit of Jesus - Week 2: Jesus Defines "Good"

Taste and See

• What makes a treat taste so good?
• Do people generally agree on what tastes good and what doesn’t?
• How do we know when something tastes good to us and when it doesn’t?

Nothing But Jesus

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2, NAS).

Defining “Good”

Take two minutes right now to list as many things as you can think of that are “good”. Think about what you’d classify as fundamentally good. Your list can include anything. It doesn’t have to be “spiritual”.

• Share your list with a partner, and then talk about how you decide what’s good and what’s not. What’s your criteria for “good”?

Jesus Defines “Good”

“A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good – except God alone. You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.” ’ ‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth” (Luke 18:18-23).

• Why did Jesus respond the way he did with this young man?
• Why did Jesus tell him to sell everything he had and follow him?

“I Am The Vine”

Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5). Our life, our goodness, is ultimately tied to Jesus. We can try to make it on our own, imagining that we’re a “vine” when we’re really a “branch”. But in reality, without him, we have no life, no goodness. According to Jesus, only he is good.

Our Guide

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

Taste Test

Your mission is to list every single taste you can discern. For example, if you wanted to make this yourself without a recipe, what would you include?

Use “A Taste Test” to record your answers. Answer the questions for one steak sauce first, and then the other. The Leaders will tell you when to switch to the other sauce.

• What connections can we make from improving our palate to improving our ability to taste Jesus well?

“A Taste Test”

Steak Sauce #1 – List every single taste you can discern – for example, if you were going to make this yourself without a recipe, what would you include? Your sense of smell can help you here.

Steak Sauce #2 – List every single taste you can discern – for example, if you were going to make this yourself without a recipe, what would you include? Your sense of small can help you here.

Taste – Test Challenge

With your partner, read the passage assigned by the leader. Then discuss:

What did Jesus do that was good? List as many things as you can.

• Luke 4:1-13: Jesus tempted by the devil
• Luke 5:27-32: Jesus calls Matthew (called Levi before he became a disciple), parties with tax collectors
• Luke 6:6-11: Jesus heals man’s withered hand on Sabbath
• Luke 8:26-39: Jesus casts demons out of Gerasene demoniac
• Luke 12:1-12: Jesus gives warnings and encouragements
• Luke 14:16-24: Parable of the dinner
• Why do these words and actions represent “good”?
• What’s surprising about the “goodness” of Jesus’ words and actions?
• What can you pick out about what Jesus likes and doesn’t like from these stories?

Closing Response

Think about how God is bigger to you than when you walked into this room. In the quiet, think of the words that remind you of how you tasted God today – write them down if you’d like.