Real Life. Real People. Real Jesus. 

1. Someone Who Showed You Jesus
1 Peter 2:10 (ESV)
“Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Question: When have you experienced the kindness, compassion, or integrity of someone whose life helped you understand what Jesus is like?

Go deeper:

• What did that person do that made you feel seen, valued, or loved?
• How did their actions influence your openness to Jesus or your desire to follow Him?
• Where do you see opportunities to offer that same kind of care to someone else?

Connection: The pastor described John as someone whose sacrifice, humility, strength, and compassion made Jesus visible. This question helps us recognize how God uses ordinary relationships to make His mercy personal—and how He can do that through us.

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2. Beyond Sunday Morning
Nehemiah 12:43 (ESV)
“And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.”

Question: Where do you notice a gap between the faith you express at church and the way you respond to people during the week?

Go deeper:

• What tends to happen to your spiritual enthusiasm once the pressures of the week begin?
• When has gratitude for something God has done changed how you treated another person?
• What would it look like for your worship to become visible at home, at work, or in a difficult conversation?

Connection: Jerusalem’s celebration reached beyond the people gathered at the wall. The sermon challenges us to let our worship reach beyond a church service so that others encounter the goodness of God through our everyday lives.

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3. What People Experience
1 Peter 2:12 (ESV)
“Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

Question: What would the people closest to you understand about Jesus if their picture of Him came primarily from how you treat them?

Go deeper:

• Which qualities of Jesus do you hope people experience through you—and which are hardest to express under pressure?
• When have you needed to acknowledge that your words or actions gave someone a distorted picture of Jesus?
• What would a humble step toward repair look like in that relationship?

Connection: The sermon’s question, “Are you a good Jesus?” asks whether we resemble the One we follow. This invites honest reflection about whether our conduct helps people see His compassion, integrity, humility, and love.

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4. Letting Others Help
1 Peter 2:11 (ESV)
“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”
Question: What keeps you from letting trusted people help you with the struggles that affect your relationships and your example of Jesus?

Go deeper:

• When you are struggling, what usually leads you to withdraw or pretend you are doing better than you are?
• Who has earned enough trust to speak honestly into your life, and how have you invited them to do that?
• What kind of support would help you this week: prayer, an honest conversation, encouragement, or practical accountability?

Connection: The pastor acknowledged his own need for his wife and church family to help him fight the battle against sin. Reflecting Jesus involves receiving help and allowing others to walk closely enough to notice when we need it.

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5. Five Words, One Next Step
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Question: What would it look like to intentionally reflect one specific quality of Jesus to one specific person this coming week?

Go deeper:

• Following the sermon’s challenge, what five words would you choose to describe Jesus, and which one most challenges you right now?
• Who needs to experience that quality through you, and what concrete action will you take?
• How could that action create a natural opportunity to tell them what Jesus has done in your life?

Connection: The sermon closes by asking us to list words that describe Jesus, choose five, memorize them, and pursue them daily. This question turns that challenge into a specific act of obedience that connects Christlike character with making Him known.

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Closing Prayer
Invite each person to name one quality of Jesus they want to grow in and one person they want to love more intentionally. Thank God for bringing you into His people through His mercy. Ask Him to reveal what needs to change, give you humility to receive help, and provide opportunities this week to show His character and speak about His goodness.

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Take-Home Challenge

1. Write down words that describe Jesus. Choose five, memorize them, and make them your daily pursuit this week.
2. Each morning, review your words and ask: “Who needs to experience these qualities of Jesus through me today?” Choose one intentional action that puts a word into practice.
3. Each evening, reflect: Where did I resemble Jesus today? Where do I need His help to grow?
4. Share your five words with someone in the group and invite them to check in with you during the week.