Discuss Together
- Who is a villain from a movie or book who is super memorable to you? What makes him or her stand out to you?
- Eric mentioned how he had never heard a message about Judas. Have you? Why do you think it is we don’t talk about him all that much?
- Read John 12:1-6. What do we learn about Judas? How do you think it’s possible someone who had made a big commitment to follow Jesus had gotten to such a hypocritical space?
- Critical moments and big mistakes often happen as a result of a lot of gradual changes and shifts in the heart over time. So, how would you know if there are gradual shifts happening in your heart? Are there clues or cues you look for?
- The last few years have been a big assault on all of our hearts. The pandemic hasn’t been easy. Have you noticed ways your heart has shifted these past few months or years? How?
- Eric said, “If Judas could justify betraying Jesus, then we can justify just about anything.” Have you seen how a friend or family member justified a bad decision? Why was it so hard for them to see it was a bad decision in the moment?
- Another of Jesus’ disciples, Peter, had a big failure moment too. Read John 21:1-14. After his failure, how did Peter respond differently than Judas? What can we learn?
- Have you seen how a mistake or failure led to a clear experience of God’s grace? How?
- One thing we see from Judas is he never talked with anyone about what was going on in his heart. How can we support each other, either in preventing avalanche moments in our lives, or encouraging each other after one happens? Where do you need help right now?
Next Steps
As we look to Easter, one way we can prepare our hearts is through Stations of the Cross. This experience will help take you through the hours leading up to the Crucifixion and the hours after Jesus’ death. You can go through this at any of our physical campuses or through the Chase Oaks App. For more information, visit chaseoaks.org/stations-of-the-cross.