Open your group with a
prayer. Use this sheet as a
guide; select the points you
want to discuss.
GETTING STARTED
1. Do you like to make lists?
For which activities?
2. Discuss your initial
reaction to the Welcome
note in this Sunday’s
church bulletin. How
would a religious person
react to it? How would an
outsider?
DIGGING DEEPER
3. Review Matthew 9:9-13.
Matthew, a tax collector,
was not respected. Who
are today’s “tax
collectors?”
4. Have you ever felt
disqualified or unqualified
to serve Jesus? In what
ways?
5. Why do you think Jesus
singled out Matthew?
6. Read Matthew 6:33 and
19:29. Matthew left a
lucrative career to follow
Jesus. What does this say
about the priority of
being a Christian?
7. Why did Matthew throw a
huge feast for Jesus at his
house and invite all his
friends? Why would
Matthew’s friends come?
Why would Jesus?
8. Matthew’s party stirred up
a controversy. To what did
the outsiders object? Can
sinners really come to
Jesus or do they need to get
their life together first?
9. Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 in
Matt 9:13. The apostates of
Hosea’s day had lost the
heart of worship even
though they continued to
sacrifice. Compare Paul’s
mindset in Phil 3:6ff.
LIVING IT OUT
10. Identify some people you
may have overlooked for
God’s mercy.
11. Read Jude 1:20-22. Discuss
how to live this out.
12. Considering Matthew’s
example discuss the quote,
“It takes an open door to
create open hearts.”
CHANGING YOUR MIND
“But go and learn what this
means: ‘I desire mercy, not
sacrifice.’” — Matthew 9:13a