Week 1: Opening Heaven's Door (Matthew 13:44-58)
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This is the first study in our opening series called Opening the Church Doors. This series is both a vision for the church and an invitation for the church to contribute their voice in an ongoing conversation about where the Lord might be taking us over the next three years.
This week we're thinking about having the door to heaven wide open so that we may enjoy this treasure of great value. If there is only one question you spend your time discussing then make it this: "what is your earliest memory of having heaven's door opened for you?"
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Questions
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1. What is your earliest memory of having heaven's door opened for you? Share this story and celebrate each other's. This might have been a moment reading the Bible, singing a worship song, a conversation, or a big conversion moment... or something else.
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2. What is the point of the first two parables (vv 44-46)? Is it the same thing or slightly different?
3. What is the point of the third parable (vv 47-50)? If the net is God's love, how big does this parable tell us it is?
4. The fish are divided like the wicked and the righteous will be. What makes someone righteous? What do we know from other parts of the Bible about being righteous in God's eyes.
5. Why does Jesus get rejected from his hometown (vv 53-57)?
6. What effect does this lack of faith have (vv 58)?
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7. Where does our openness to heaven come from? What causes us to see God's kingdom come?
8. Is there ever hard work involved in keeping heaven's door open?
9. What things do we do that cause us to close the door to heaven? What drives that do you think?
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10. What would you most want to share about the joy of heaven with a neighbour/friend/colleague?
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