UNWRITTEN - Week 2
Give Up to Go Up
DAILY DEVOTIONALS FOR SEPTEMBER 6-10
provided by Bob Brown

We encourage you to use these readings to learn more about next weekend’s message. We pray that you will use your devotional time as an opportunity to grow closer to God and discover practical life principles. Note: The Background Notes are especially useful in working through some of these questions. A copy can be downloaded from the Current Sermon Series web page.

Day Two
1. Read Matthew 14:25-33. How is
    Peter’s faith in Jesus tested by this
    incident? Why does he fail the test?

2. What is your assessment of Peter’s
    comments at the Transfiguration of
    Jesus? (Mark 9:1-10) Consider
    Peter’s motivation.

3. Read Jesus’ promise to Peter in
    Luke 22:31-32. What change in
    Peter does Jesus foresee?

4. Read the Gospel accounts of Peter’s
    denial of Jesus at his trial. (Matthew
    26:57-75; Mark 14:53-72; Luke 22:
    54-62; John 18:13-27) Take note of
    what is common across all four
    accounts. Where does Peter stand in
    relationship to Jesus as a result of
    this experience?

Day Three
1. After the resurrection of Jesus, what
    does Peter do and why? (John 21:
    1-13) How was he influential? Why
    did Jesus appear to Peter and the
    others while they were fishing? How
    is this incident a déjà vu?

2. Read John 21:15b-17. In what ways
    does this passage resolve Peter’s
    crisis of denying Jesus at his trial?
    Why does Jesus ask the same
    question three times? What do you
    make of Peter’s responses?

3. Does it seem that the word "love"
    is used in different ways in this
    passage?

4. In what ways does this passage
    leave us "hanging?" How does it
    suggest a way forward for Simon
    Peter? What is the true source
    of Peter’s grief in 21:17b?

Day Four
1. Consider the contrast between being
    a fisherman and being a shepherd.
    What challenges will Peter face in
    becoming a "shepherd," having spent
    his whole life being a "fisherman?"

2. Why are both roles important in the
    Christian community? (See 1 Peter
    2:25; 5:2-4)

3. Jesus gives Peter a glimpse of his
    future. (John 21:18-23)

4. Read Acts 1-2. What changes do
    you see in Peter? How do you
    account for those changes?

5. How does Peter leave his own private
    "story" and become a part of Jesus’
    Big Story?

UNWRITTEN - Week 1
A Little Man Steps Into a Big Story
DAILY DEVOTIONALS FOR AUGUST 30 - SEPTEMBER 3
provided by Bob Brown

We encourage you to use these readings to learn more about next weekend’s message. We pray that you will use your devotional time as an opportunity to grow closer to God and discover practical life principles. Note: The Background Notes are especially useful in working through some of these questions. A copy can be downloaded from the Current Sermon Series web page.

Day One
1. Think of a story you heard as a child.
    Why was it so appealing to you?
    What reactions did you have to this
    story? As an adult, does that story
    still have significance to you? Why is
    story-telling so important for children?
    For us?

2. Name five stories you remember from
    the Bible. In what ways do they
    "connect" with the story of your life?
    In what sense does the Bible tell a
    "Big Story" which gives meaning to
    your personal story?

3. What are the significant episodes in
    the "Jesus Story?" Discuss the likely
    reaction of the following people to the
    Jesus Story: Pharisees, Pilate,
    lepers, children, Peter, and Judas
    Iscariot.

Day Two
1. Read Luke 19:1-10. Make a list of the
    main characters, problems, props,
    and actions found in this narrative.
    What is the climactic moment in the
    story?

2. What aspect of the Jesus Story
    stands out in this passage?

3. Give a brief profile of Zacchaeus.
    Consider his profession as a tax
    collector. (Consult the Background
    Notes for further detail on what this
    profession involved.) Is there any
    evidence that his profession was a
    barrier to Jesus?

Day Three
1. How do Zacchaeus’ height and the
    sycamore tree function within the
    narrative Luke gives us? Is there
    humor in this story? In what sense
    does Jesus surprise Zacchaeus?

2. What role does the crowd play in
    telling this story? In general terms,
    what relationship would Zacchaeus
    have with the crowd? Explain
    Zacchaeus’ motives for climbing the
    sycamore tree.

3. Does Jesus lay down prerequisites
    before accepting Zacchaeus? How
    does your answer to this question
    open up the plot of God’s Big Story?

4. At what point in Luke’s account did
    Zacchaeus become part of God’s
    story?

Day Four
1. Why did people complain about the
    actions of Jesus toward this tax
    collector?

2. How do you account for the radical
    change in the tax collector’s be-
    havior? What two major decisions
    did he announce to Jesus?

3. Summarize Jesus’ assessment of
    what happened that day in the house
    of Zacchaeus. In doing so, define the
    following phrases: "Son of Abraham"
    and "Son of Man."

4. In what ways did Zacchaeus "seek"
    Jesus, and in what ways did Jesus
    "seek" Zacchaeus?