Bay Marin Community Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
Bay Marin Community Church Sermons
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What are your impressions of Gary; his interview, his message, his Q&A after the message? What if we live in such a way that people wanted to hang out with us...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What things in your life might you want to get well from? Is there anything in your life that you might have anxiety around what getting well from might mean for...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Max and Ale shared about their trips to Mexico and Ghana. What touched you in their sharing? Link to CORM in Ghana: https://www.cityofrefugeoutreach.org/ John...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Was there some part of the Wendell Berry poem that you particularly liked? What moved you? What does it mean to "practice...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Justin led us in a contemplative spiritual practice called Lectio Divina. This passage was read 3 times, with space in between each reading to be still. We listened...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? In Luke 5:8, when Jesus was first calling his disciples, Peter said, "Get away from me, Lord, for I'm a sinful man." What might that statement tell us...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What locked doors do you have in your life? Has Jesus ever come inside one of your locked doors and said, “Peace be with you?” What was that experience like? If a...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Our expectations for God can sometimes keep us from seeing him in our lives. Talk about expectations of God you've had that weren't met and how you...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How have you experienced Lent this year? Have you been able to slow down, or fast from or reduce screen time? What have you (temporarily) removed from your...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Jesus reminds the Jewish leaders that there is a divine imprint in all of us, even the worst of us. Talk about someone in your life you have had difficulty...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How do you respond to this quote? “Repentance involves not the admission of guilt or the acknowledgement of fault, but the confession of death.” Do you agree or...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching?Nothing can separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord. What is your response to that? How might we truly believe that, not just intellectually...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How has encountering God changed/transformed/moved you? The disciples encountered Jesus at the transfiguration differently than their own eyes had previously...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How do you feel about the fears Matt outlined? The fear that you won’t have enough The fear that you won’t be in control The fear that you won’t be...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What are your thoughts about this quote from Meister Eckhart? “The spiritual life has much more to do with subtraction than addition.” What do you need to subtract...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 5 say: "Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools" and "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching?The Teacher, the writer of Ecclesiastes, says all of toil is for envy. What do you say? Why do you toil?Fools fold their hands, which is their ruin. One handful with...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What are you grateful for right now? What would you do today, if at the end of the day you knew you would die? If you knew the world would end tomorrow, what would...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Which things listed in verses 2-8 do you like having time for? Which things would you rather there weren't time for? How might it be helpful to see both on this...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What did the writer of Ecclesiastes pursue in his quest for happiness and meaning? What did he find as he pursued those things? What did he conclude? What have you...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What does “wisdom transcends contradiction” mean?Where is God when we are wrestling with our pain? What are some of the deep questions asked in Ecclesiastes?How is...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What is God inviting you to set your face toward? What did you feel with Matt’s announcement? Talk about your wilderness experience. What do you expect for your...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Are you willing to ask God what is it that you’re holding onto? What are you grasping onto that you are unwilling to release? What is God inviting you to release so...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What is God inviting you to say yes to? Something that may be risky that you’re not inclined to say yes to. Where in your life are you in need of God’s peace? How...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How does it make you feel knowing the command given more than any other in scripture is, "Do not be afraid." Zechariah was mute for 9 months. Is God...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Talk about the three things forgiveness does not mean:
Accepting unacceptable behavior Giving a free pass Reconciliation in all cases
Who is held in bondage...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What are the three things forgiveness does not mean? Talk about these. Accepting unacceptable behavior Giving a free pass Reconciliation in all cases If...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Jesus is interrupted by crowds, pigs, demoniacs and demons yet continues to work miracles and teach. Jesus works in the midst of clamoring crowds who sense that he...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What are you thankful for? What happens when your timeline and agenda gets interrupted? Are you annoyed and frustrated? Do you accept it an be grateful? What does...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Dave observed that certain things seem to "move" Jesus to heal? What do you think about that? Are these things part of your prayer life? Do you want them...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Why might a nobleman come to Jesus with this request? What obstacles to asking would the nobleman have to deal with? How can you relate? The man took Jesus at his...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What point do you think Jesus is making in this story? Gandhi said that people spend a lot of time thinking about their rights but not so much time considering...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching?
If the landowner gave the full day workers a fair wage for their work, why were they upset about the others getting the same wage? What does this say about...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Who/what are you giving power to in your life? Who/what are you allowing to continue to hold you in prison and keep you trapped by that wound? Where in your life...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Where are you passing by on the other side? What or who are the things or people that we see God has invited us into and we choose instead to pass by on the other...
Discussion Questions: How are we scattering seeds of shalom in our own lives and in our places of influence? As the kingdom of God is ever-growing, how might we also be a people that are ever-growing? What are the seeds you are invited to scatter...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What kinds of baggage might you or others associate with the word repent? Is your understanding of “repent” different now? How?How are you living a life of radical...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What is the value of community? To you personally? To the world? What are some qualities of healthy community? Where in your life are you grateful for...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What does it look like to have embodied and soulful work? Are you out of rhythm? Does it feel like your life is fragmented or integrated? In what ways have we seen...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Consider the though that we are inextricably bound to the earth. How do we live into our earthly humility and the divine greatness as image bearers? What does it...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What stands out for you in Dave's story of the dragonflies? Does this story relate to your life? Dave said that we are a beginning version of what we are...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What does it mean that God created us in His image? Read 2 Corinthians 3:18. What is meaningful in this passage to you? What is the process of "being...
Discussion Questions: Compare the worldviews that have come out of Gen 1, which Matt calls "original blessing", and Gen 3 (total depravity). Is there a danger in over-emphasizing one, or excluding one? What do you think of Bill...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How is a fear driven gospel different than one driven by grace? What does it mean that we choose to be for God and against sin? How do we choose our true identity...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? In what ways have we made Jesus into our own image? In what ways are we so convinced of what God’s kingdom should look like that we have made the kingdom of what we...
Discussion Questions: Consider and discuss the quote from Parker Palmer: “If the heart break apart, the result may be anger, depression, and disengagement. If the heart breaks open into greater capacity to hold complexities and contradictions of...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What are some ways to be like a child before God? Have you ever learned anything from a child, and if so what was it? What are some tenets or verses you have passed...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Do you find your work wearisome? In what ways and how does it affect your daily living? Which burdens weigh most heavily upon you? What would it be like to release...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What would it take to disrupt your routine?Are we about the destination or the journey?What if we lived in the moment? (James 4:13-15)How will I respond to life’s...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What areas of your life are still shrouded in darkness? What would it mean to bring the light of life into those areas? We are divine image-bearers. How does that...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How do you listen for God’s word? Are there walls in your life right now? What would it mean to ask Jesus to tear down those walls? How do you feel about Dallas...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Where are you trying to hold the keys? Where are you trying to keep control in your life when you are being invited to let go of the keys, to let go of control? “I...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What parts of the crucifixion story are most vivid to you? Jesus is quoted in Matthew 16:24-25 as saying (before his death), “Whoever wants to be my disciple must...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? When Jesus said "I AM" (or YHWH) to questions about who He was, what was He saying about Himself? How does our culture see truth? How is Jesus...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? When you hear the word authority, what do you think of first? How did your view of the word change while listening to Dave? What is your realm of authority? (Where...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? In what ways are you engaging the season of Lent? The people of Israel were living a life of self preservation instead of living a life they were called to. In what...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? In what ways are you engaging the season of Lent? Paul says, "'Everything is permissible," but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Why does Jesus say ask, seek, and knock? What does that look like? How might we turn our anxieties and worries into prayer? What are the good gifts Jesus talks...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What do you worry about? What do you think about the statement, “whatever you give your attention to is the thing that governs your life.” Where is your attention...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching What have you previously thought about "turning the other cheek”? Did anything change in listening to the sermon? What do you think about the "myth of...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." What does that mean to you? What evidence is there to support the idea that we are living in a “post-truth”...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Think about this week. When were you the salted corn chips, and when were you the unsalted corn chips? How have you tried to drive out darkness with light this...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What kinds of things are you distracted by? Activity? Time? Jealousy? Resentment? Something else?What would it look like to cultivate a daily practice of...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What does it look like for us to point away from ourselves and point to Jesus? Jesus asked Philip and Nathanael, “what do you want?” What are you looking for? Why...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? The original Christmas story is about a refugee baby on the run from someone who wants him dead. What does it look like for us to make room in the inn for this...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Matt talked about a conflict of kingdoms on Sunday, a kingdom of fear and a kingdom of peace. Which rules your life? What are some ways we can experience wonder in...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Where do you experience God in everyday life? Divine possibility is all around us... Joseph was afraid and yet listened to God and obeyed. Where in your life do...
Discussion Questions: Click here to listen to the song played from the sermon. What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching?
What are some ways that people have "seen" you, positive and negative? How has that...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How might seeing repentance as a “coming home” instead of a “shame on you” mentality affect how we view and share the gospel? Do you think if the disciples knew...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Considering the relationship between Jews and Romans during this miracle of Jesus, what are ways, if any, that we tend to put people on the other side of “us and...
Discussion Questions: Do you feel your life is "in balance" or "out of balance"? What are some healthy rhythms of life? What does it mean to "wait on the Lord"? How do you feel about solitude? Why would we want to...
Discussion Questions:What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? When do you take time to rest?
How do you respond when expectations are not met?Matt described theologian Walter Bruegemann's myth of scarcity, that we believe...
Discussion Questions: Matthew 8:23-27 What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What types of storms are raging in your life right now? How might Jesus calm them? Have you ever been amazed? What does your body feel when you are...
Discussion Questions: What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What stories of goodness do you have from this past week? Read John 2:1-10 and discuss where you have seen something miraculously replenished. What are ways...
Discussion Questions What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? What do you think Jesus means when he says that we must be like children in order to come to him? When do you think you have it all together? How might it be harder...
Discussion Questions What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? Compare and contrast the prayers of the Pharisee and the tax-collector. Why might people look down on other people? In our culture, who is it okay to "look...
Discussion Questions What resonated most with you about this passage and teaching? How might we listen in order to hear? What might we need tosee in order to turn to God? In what ways are we blind and deaf in ourown lives?What...
Discussion Questions These questions are suggestions: use some of them, one of them, all of them or none of them! Opener: What do you remember from the sermon? Do you have any insight or questions you'd like to share. 1. Read the story in...
Discussion Questions 1. How might we think about the difference between how Jesus sees sinners and how the Pharisees see sinners? 2. How do you view the difference between a transactional relationship with God and a transformational relationship...
Philippians 4.10-20 | Discussion Questions Discuss what you think contentment looks like. Paul is in a Roman prison cell yet he has “learned” contentment.
What do you think it looks like to “learn” contentment? What is a situation you are in that...
Philippians 4.4-9 Discussion Questions Begin by reflectively reading the text. We began the teaching this past Sunday by inviting folks to share how reflecting on these verses has impacted them. Ask your group to share about their experience...
Philippians 4.4-7 Discussion Questions Begin your time by reflecting on Philippians 4:4-7. Read it slowly together; perhaps several times. Encourage those you do life with to add two verses and read Philippians 4:4-9 at least once a day this...
Philippians 4:4; Galatians 3:23-28 | Discussion Questions On Sunday I encouraged everyone to read Philippians 4:4-7 two or three times a day. Encourage those you are doing life with to do so and to spend time reflecting on those verses as we jump in...
Matthew 11.7-19 Discussion Questions In verses 7-8, it is believed that Jesus is using coded language about Herod Antipas whose symbol on his coins was a reed and who wore fine cloths. What did people go to see? A new king who is easily swayed by...
Matthew 11.7-19 Discussion Questions In verses 7-8, it is believed that Jesus is using coded language about Herod Antipas whose symbol on his coins was a reed and who wore fine cloths. What did people go to see? A new king who is easily swayed by...
Matthew 9.35-38 Discussion Questions Verse 35 talks about Jesus as teacher and healer. It says he proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom. The kingdom is a New Testament way of talking about shalom – God’s harmonious rule and reign that comes to restore...
Matthew 9.14-17 Discussion Questions Start by reading through the passage once or twice slowly asking your group to pay attention to what sticks out to them.
What questions does this text evoke for you? What strikes you as you hear / read this...
Matthew 9.18-26 Discussion Questions Each week of Lent we are looking at stories found in Matthew 8 & 9. In your Faith Communities or those you do life together with, invite each person to choose a character in the text for the week and answer...
Matthew 9.1-13 Discussion Questions Each week of Lent we are looking at stories found in Matthew 8 & 9. In your Faith Communities or those you do life together with, invite each person to choose a character in the text for the week and answer...
Matthew 8.23-34 Discussion Questions Each week of Lent we are looking at stories found in Matthew 8 & 9. In your Faith Communities or those you do life together with, invite each person to choose a character in the text for the week and answer...
Matthew 8.14-22 | Discussion Questions Each week of Lent we are looking at stories found in Matthew 8 & 9. In your Faith Communities or those you do life together with, invite each person to choose a character in the text for the week and answer...
Matthew 8.5-13 Discussion Questions Each week of Lent we are looking at stories found in Matthew 8 & 9. In your Faith Communities or those you do life together with, invite each person to choose a character in the text for the week and answer...
Matthew 8.1-4 | Discussion Questions Each week of Lent we are looking at stories found in Matthew 8 & 9. In your Faith Communities or those you do life together with, invite each person to choose a character in the text for the week and answer...
Philippians 3.12-21 Discussion Questions In verses 12-14 Paul uses the image of running. This is no works based righteousness. This is running to take hold of more of Christ.
How might we discern between senseless striving that leads to to the...
Philippians 3.7-11 Discussion Questions Read through the text slowing. What sticks out to you in this passage? Paul states that his whole résumé (verses 4-6) is a loss for the sake of Christ. Paul has come to realize that only what is done for...
Philippians 3:1-7 Discussion Questions Read through the passage slowly with your group. What stands out to you in this passage and why? Both Jesus and Paul get pretty worked about about those who hold to a self-righteous legalism. Why do you think...
Philippians 2:19-30 Discussion Questions Read through the passage together and share with each other. What sticks out to you? Look at Acts 16 to see where Paul meets Timothy (Acts 16:1-3)
Timothy’s mom who was Jewish had married a Greek man. This...
Philippians 2:14-18 Discussion Questions “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” This is a hard word to live into.
Share something that you struggle with complaining about.
Being grateful will always lead us away from complaint. Share...
Philippians 2:12-13 Discussion Questions “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you...
Philippians 2:5-11 Discussion Questions Spend some time reading through the passage slowly with your group. Ask folks what sticks out to them about the passage and how it connects for them to their everyday life. Talk about how Jesus is described in...
Philippians 1:15-19 Reflection QuestionsLook at the attached Power Point. In what ways do you think rivalry can be a healthy thing?
Do you think it is healthy in the world of sports? At what point might it become unhealthy? What about the business...
Here are some questions/thoughts to consider this week.• Paul writes, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” What do you think that means? How do you think that looks lived out? As The Church? As a Christ follower in Marin?...
Philippians 1:7-14The word for “feel” in verse 7 sometimes gets translated “think” or “attitude” or “mindset.” It is a word that connects head and heart. We don’t have an adequate English equivalent. Some people may be more “head” people and others...
Reflection Questions for Philippians 1:3-8Paul links his “thanks” (Eucharisto) in verse 3 to remembering. I talked about the NYT article, “The End of Reflection.” Consider inviting your group to read this article and discuss it...
Quotes from Lament: Reclaiming Practices in Pulpit, Pew and Public Square, by Sally Ann Brown and Patrick D. Miller, were used in this teaching.
Being formed rather than deformed. Original blessing preceded original sin. Sin has no creative power and at the root of all sin is the desire to find God - to return home.