July 19, 2026  |  Courts of Praise  |  Bishop Beau Barton

Maturing into the Fullness of Righteousness

Small Group Guide
Luke 6:40 — "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."
This week's message walks through Luke 6:17-49 — Jesus coming down to a level place, naming what real blessing looks like, and calling his disciples to a love, mercy, and obedience that mature over time. Central question for the group: are we still growing into who Jesus has already called us to be, or have we stalled out somewhere along the way?

Discussion Questions

  1. In Luke 6:17-19, Jesus comes down from the mountain to stand "on a level place" among the crowd before he heals anyone. What does his choice to come down, rather than stay separate, tell us about how he wants to be known?
  2. Jesus says "blessed are you poor" and "blessed are you who hunger" (Luke 6:20-21). How does this compare to the way we normally define being blessed?
  3. Luke 6:22-23 says we're blessed when we're hated for the Son of Man's sake. Can you think of a time being hated for following Jesus actually strengthened your faith?
  4. Jesus commands love for people who don't reciprocate — even kindness to "the unthankful and evil" (Luke 6:35). Who is the hardest person for you to extend that kind of love to right now?
  5. Luke 6:37 says to judge not and to be merciful rather than condemning. What's the difference between identifying wrong fruit in someone's life and condemning them for it?
  6. Jesus says "a disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40). What's one area where you can tell you're still maturing, rather than finished?
  7. The message ends with the picture of two builders — one who hears and does, and one who hears and does nothing (Luke 6:46-49). What's one thing from this passage you need to actually put into practice this week?

Closing Challenge

Closing Challenge: Pick one person this week who has been difficult to love, and do one specific, tangible act of kindness for them — without expecting anything back. Come back next week ready to share what happened.