Going Where They Are

Icebreaker: Pastor Blake shared the story of the Nome, Alaska diphtheria epidemic and the urgent need to deliver the cure. Can you recall a time when you or someone you know experienced an urgent need, and how did people respond?

Pastor Blake emphasized that the priest and Levite "saw him" but "passed by on the other side," while the Samaritan "really saw him" with compassion. What do you think is the difference between merely seeing someone in need and "really seeing" them as Pastor Blake described?

The sermon highlighted that "it has always been and will always always be about people." How does this principle challenge or affirm your understanding of the church's primary mission?

Pastor Blake talked about the "lens" through which we view people (judgment, criticism, condemnation vs. compassion, care, love). When are you most aware of using a particular lens when interacting with others, especially those who might be different from you?

Pastor Blake stated, "Many times I am the priest and the Levite." In what situations might you find yourself tempted to "pass by on the other side" rather than actively "going to" someone in need, and what holds you back?

The sermon challenged the idea of waiting for people to "come to church" versus "going to them." What emotions or thoughts arise in you when considering the call to actively "go ye" into the world with the cure?

For a moment of silent reflection, consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." How might Jesus be inviting you to embrace this "go ye" command in a new way?

Considering Pastor Blake's challenge to "be the cure" and "interrupt your schedule," what is one concrete, actionable step you could take this week to "go to" someone in your life (family, friend, co-worker, neighbor) with the message of Jesus, rather than waiting for them to come to you?