core group questions
Fasting (Lent & Ash Wednesday)
1. Jesus and Expectation Read Luke 5:33-35 and Matthew 6:1-18 together. Jesus speaks about fasting as something His followers will do, not might do. What does Jesus' language here teach us about His expectations for discipleship & how seriously He takes the spiritual
disciplines?
2. Who Is Fasting Really For? The sermon emphasized that fasting does not twist God's arm or earn His favor. What does biblical fasting reveal about God's character (especially His desire for relationship
over performance)?
3. Defining a Biblical Fast Scripture consistently defines fasting as abstaining from food in order to seek, find & experience God in deeper and more meaningful ways. Why might giving up food cause you to draw closer to God? And why do you think we are often tempted to redefine fasting into something more comfortable or less costly?
4. Power and Freedom Jesus fasted before confronting temptation in Matthew 4. How does fasting reposition us in our fight against sin, the flesh, and spiritual opposition? Do you have a testimony
about how this has happened in your own life?
5. Breakthroughs and God's Action Throughout Scripture, fasting often precedes moments of deliverance or divine direction (Joel 2, Esther, Hannah, Acts 13). How do these stories shape a healthy
expectation for fasting without turing it into a formula to GET something from God?
Do you have a testimony about how this has happened in your own life?
6. Lent as "Springtime for the Soul" Lent was described as a season of preparation (where new life forms beneath the surface) before the Easter celebration. In a moment of raw and honest reflection, what
kind of inner renewal might God want to cultivate in you during this Lent season?
7. Feasting lead Ecclesiastes 3:1-4, John 2:1-11, and revisit Luke 5:34. Jesus both fasted and elebrated. What does the rhythm of fasting and feasting teach us about God's hear for joy, celebration, and holiness? How might recovering this rhythm reshape the way you approach Sundays, Easter, and the Christian life as a whole?
This Week's Challenge: Begin Lent Intentionally
1. Commit To Show Up
Commit to attending 1 (or both) of our Ash Wednesday gatherings on Feb. 18
(afternoon prayer window or evening service).
2. Decide Your Fast
Before Feb. 18, spend time in prayer and decide what your fast will be. Ask God what you can give up that will create real hunger for Him, not just something convenient so that you can feel good about participating alongside everyone else
(because that would be a waste of time).| *Remember: fasting should be paired with extra prayer, Scripture, and consecration,
not just food restriction.
3. Write It Down
What are you fasting/giving up?
Why are you fasting?
What are your rhythms of prayer/reading?
What you're asking God to do IN YOU during this season.
Commit to attending 1 (or both) of our Ash Wednesday gatherings on Feb. 18
(afternoon prayer window or evening service).
2. Decide Your Fast
Before Feb. 18, spend time in prayer and decide what your fast will be. Ask God what you can give up that will create real hunger for Him, not just something convenient so that you can feel good about participating alongside everyone else
(because that would be a waste of time).| *Remember: fasting should be paired with extra prayer, Scripture, and consecration,
not just food restriction.
3. Write It Down
What are you fasting/giving up?
Why are you fasting?
What are your rhythms of prayer/reading?
What you're asking God to do IN YOU during this season.