Dangerous Religion

Luke 11: 37-54 “Dangerous Religion” Small Group Study Questions *Start your small group time off with prayer and then read the passage of Scripture in its entirety before getting into the questions. 1. Have you ever seen someone ‘lay it all out’ with someone else? Have you ever had to do that yourself? How did it go? 2. What was it, do you think, about the Pharisees and teachers of religious law that disturbed Jesus the most? 3. J.D. Grear writes this from his book Humble Orthodoxy: Holding the Truth High Without Putting People Down: “The Holy Spirit did not go into such detail about the Pharisees in the New Testament just so we could understand a group unique to the first century. Pharisaism is a poisonous weed that grows in every garden of orthodox religion. Pharisaism is every bit the threat to the orthodox today that it was then.”  What do you think of J.D. Grear’s words? In what ways do you see Pharisaism, or more specifically legalistic religion, in the church today? 4. Why do you think as Christians we sometimes consider ‘lesser things’ of more value than greater things? Can you give some examples in your life when you have done so? 5. What is the danger of becoming legalistic in our walk with Christ? How can legalism negatively affect our perception of God, others and even ourselves? 6. What are some signs, in your opinion, that one is becoming legalistic and/or self-righteous? How can one keep themselves from becoming legalistic/self-righteous? 7. Thomas Merton writes this: "To be risen with Christ means not only that one has a choice and that one may live by a higher law - the law of grace and love - but that one must do so. The first obligation of the Christian is to maintain their freedom from all superstitions, all blind taboos and religious formalities, indeed from all empty forms of legalism."  What do you think of these words? How does the righteousness that Christ gives us, because of his sacrifice for us, help keep us from becoming caught up in “religious formalities” and “empty forms of legalism”? Closing Prayer: Thank God that because of Christ in your life God considers you righteous. Ask God to help you live according to the higher law of love and grace because of all that God has done for you. Confess to God the areas in your life where you have been legalistic and self-righteous. Ask God to empower you to live a life of humility, grace and love so that your life communicates the true message of the Gospel in everything you do.