Reel Luke

Leader's Guide

Preparing for Reel Luke

  • Watch the BibleProject videos embedded on the main Reel Luke page. (You can also watch some more detailed Luke videos from BibleProject HERE.)
  • Before each small group meeting, read that week's Bible story several times yourself. Also read what happens before and after the Bible story so you're familiar with the larger context. Read through the Helpful Stuff to Know, Be Sure Not to Miss, and Be Careful About sections so you have a solid framework for the story. Look through the questions so you're ready to lead discussion.

Leading Reel Luke

Start with an icebreaker and any other small group traditions you have. You can find some Fresh Opener questions HERE. Then move into the lesson.

1. Read the Bible Story

Here's a few different ways you can read and recap the story with your group.

1. Read it through one time with people just listening. Then read it through a second time with people following along in their own Bibles.

2. Ask one or two people to retell the story after hearing it.

3. Ask two people to retell the story in the first person, as though they were actually there. One person can do the play-by-play (tell the details of what happened), and the other can offer color commentary (add details about how they felt, what surprised them, what confused them, what else they noticed, and more). First-person retelling can make the story feel more real. It's also a blast.

2. Ask the Reel Questions

Ask the three Reel Questions to help them remember and bring the story to life. If you want even more Reel Questions, you'll find them in the dropdown below and on each lesson page. Reel Questions are intended to help people process the story and bring it to life so they'll become curious about learning more.

3. Ask the Story-Specific Questions

After engaging with the Reel Questions, pick from the story specific questions.

4. Wrap-Up

Use the wrap-up question included in each lesson. Another option for wrapping up is to ask what the story is telling you — each story shows​ (observation of what Jesus does and says), teaches​ (the underlying truth in the story), and tells​ (what that means for me). So the story of Zacchaeus shows​ that Jesus notices and wants to spend time with people that other people despise and ignore. It teaches​ that I should notice and spend time with people that are overlooked or despised by others. And it tells​ me that I should personally reach out to that kid in the lunchroom that everyone else avoids and who always sits alone.

5. Pray Out

Reel Questions

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Reel Setting (place)

  • Where did this story happen? (Describe the setting — in a house, on a road, by a lake, in a city, etc.)
  • What do you think that place looked like? smelled like? sounded like?
  • Do you think it matters that this story happened in that specific place? Why?
  • What about the place in this story feels familiar? What feels strange?

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Reel People (characters)

  • Make a list of all the people in this story and give a one-word description of each (include “crowd” if there is one). Why did you choose that word?
  • What does Jesus say and do in this story? List all the things. Does anything surprise you? Why?
  • Which person (besides Jesus) is most interesting to you? Why?
  • What details about the characters do you wish were included or explained in the story? Why?
  • Why do you think [choose a specific character or the crowd] spoke or acted the way they did?
  • What are some different things that [the person from previous question] could have said or done? How would that have changed the story?
  • What do you think the onlookers were thinking and feeling as things were happening in this story? Why?
  • How do you think the main characters might have changed after this story? Why? (Sometimes it tells us, like with Zacchaeus, but other times it doesn’t.)
  • How do you think the crowd or onlookers might have changed after this story? Why?
  • If you’d been there, where would you have been standing or sitting? What would you have been thinking or feeling? Why?

 

Reel Events (plot)

  • List all the events in the story.
  • List some details that aren't included but are assumed in the story.
  • What do you think are the two or three most important moments in this story? Why?
  • If this story were a film, when would the music be scary or tense? When would it be joyful or upbeat? Why?
  • What do you think maybe happened right before this story? What do you think maybe happened right after this story?
  • Does the biblical story before or after this one matter to this story? How? Why do you think that?
  • What are some different ways things could have happened or ended in this story?
  • If this story were happening today in your school or town, what are ways Jesus might have acted or explained things for your context?
  • What would you call this story if it were a full-length book or movie? Why?

 

Real Faith

  • What’s a way people could misunderstand or misuse this story?
  • Why do you think this story is in the Bible? Why would God want us to read and learn from it?
  • What are you learning about Jesus (or his Father or the Spirit) from this story?
  • What are you learning about following Jesus (living for Jesus and living like Jesus) from this story?
  • After reading this story, what are some questions you have about Jesus and following him?