Small Group Discussion Guide

"The Price for My Deliverance" — Pastor Mirek Hufton

1. SERMON RECAP

Pastor Mirek walked the congregation through the events of John 18, painting a vivid picture of the enormous armed force sent to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane — and yet showing that Jesus was fully in control the entire time. He reminded us that the suffering Jesus willingly endured, from the betrayal of Judas to the spit, the fists, the thorns, and the nails, was the price only He could pay for humanity's debt of sin. Pastor Mirek closed by celebrating the word Jesus spoke from the cross — "Tetelestai," it is finished, paid in full — as the declaration that every sin of every person who receives Him is completely and permanently cancelled.

2. KEY SCRIPTURE

Colossians 1:13 (NKJV)

"He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love."

3. ICE BREAKER

What is the most expensive gift anyone has ever given you, and what made it feel so significant?

4. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Question 1 — Understanding the Scene Pastor Mirek pointed out that the "detachment" sent to arrest Jesus in John 18 likely numbered between 300 and 600 Roman soldiers, plus temple officers and officials. Why do you think it matters to slow down and picture the actual scale of what happened that night, rather than reading past it quickly? How does that larger picture change how you see Jesus stepping forward to meet them?

Question 2 — The Power of "I Am" When Jesus spoke the words "I am," hundreds of armed soldiers fell backward to the ground. Pastor Mirek connected this to God's self-revelation in Exodus 3, where He tells Moses His name is "I am that I am." What does it mean to you personally that the same Jesus who toppled an armed cohort with two words is the one who now lives inside every believer through His Spirit?

Question 3 — The Judas Problem Pastor Mirek observed that Judas called Jesus "Rabbi" — teacher — but never submitted to Him as Lord. He suggested that a person can attend church, agree with the message, and still never truly surrender to Jesus as the authority over their life. In what areas of daily life do people most commonly keep Jesus in the "teacher" category rather than the "Lord" category? What tends to hold someone back from that full surrender?

Question 4 — The Price He Paid Pastor Mirek described in detail the spitting, the punching, the blindfolding, the mocking, the scourging, and finally the cross. He said the crowds and religious leaders who abused Jesus hated the anointing He carried. How does sitting with the full weight of what Jesus endured — not rushing past it — affect the way you think about your own sin and about God's love for you?

Question 5 — "Tetelestai": Paid in Full Pastor Mirek explained that "tetelestai" was the word stamped on ancient receipts to show a debt had been completely settled. He said the moment a person confesses Jesus as Lord, every sin is instantly paid in full and a brand-new, righteous nature is given. Does that reality feel more like head knowledge or heart knowledge to you right now? What would it look like in your everyday life if you truly lived as someone whose debt is stamped "paid in full"?

Question 6 — The Covenant and Unforgiveness Closing the message with communion, Pastor Mirek reminded the group that the new covenant calls believers to reflect God's own character — which means releasing every grudge, bitterness, and resentment toward others. He said unforgiveness acts like a blockage that holds up the very things God wants to release in a person's life. How has holding on to an offense ever affected your sense of closeness to God? What makes forgiveness feel costly, and how does remembering the price Jesus paid change that calculation?

5. APPLICATION CHALLENGE

Before the group meets again next week, each person is encouraged to choose one specific relationship where some degree of hurt, resentment, or unforgiveness has been quietly sitting. The challenge is not necessarily to have a difficult conversation, but to write the person's name on a piece of paper, speak a simple prayer of release out loud — "I forgive [name] and I release this to You, God" — and then tear up or discard the paper as a concrete act of letting go. Be prepared to share briefly next week not what the offense was, but simply what it felt like to make that deliberate choice.

6. PRAYER POINTS

Gratitude for the Price Paid Take a moment to thank God specifically for the willingness of Jesus to go through every stage of what Pastor Mirek described — the betrayal, the abuse, the cross — when at any moment He could have called 72,000 angels and walked away.

Boldness Rooted in His Power Pastor Mirek challenged the group to recognize that the same Spirit that knocked a Roman cohort to the ground is the Spirit living in every believer today. Pray that each group member would grow in confidence and boldness in their faith this week, not because of their own strength, but because of whose Spirit they carry.

Softened Hearts Toward Forgiveness Pray specifically for anyone in the group who is carrying a wound that feels too deep or too fresh to release. Ask God to do what only He can do — soften the heart, lift the weight, and make real forgiveness genuinely possible.

7. MEMORY VERSE

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Leader note: Give the group permission to sit quietly with the harder questions. Some of the most meaningful moments in a small group happen not when everyone has an answer, but when someone is honest enough to say they are still working through it.