'What was Jesus like? And would you have become his disciple?' by Owen Lynch - 29 August 2021

How do you picture Jesus and what he was like? In this talk, Owen Lynch looks at what we know about Jesus through the stories people told about him, from expectations of a Messiah before his birth to his life and encounters with people, his death and what happened next. Many were drawn into the crowd around him. If you had been alive at the time, would you have been one of them? How would this have changed your view of the world? And what would you make of Jesus' call to lose the life you have had and follow him?

Discussion questions

Jesus said “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.”

• What does it mean to you to pick up your cross and follow Jesus?

• What does it mean to lose your life?

• What does it mean to deny yourself?

• Which group of people would you have found yourself in if you had been alive at the time of Jesus?

  • Would you have been fascinated by the spectacle of Jesus performing miracles?

  • Would you have been wanting Jesus to perform a miracle for you?

  • Would you have been drawn by wisdom of Jesus’ stories?

  • Would you have been attracted by Jesus’ charisma as a leader?

  • Would you have been attracted by his compassion and justice?

  • Would you have been drawn to him if you had had the chance to speak with Jesus heart to heart?