Called to be holy - week 2

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 3.12.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

Should we stop daylight savings time?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

- 1 Peter 2:9-12

• What is our call to action in verse 9? What does that look like?

• What is mercy? How have you experienced it in your life?

• What does it mean that the passions of the flesh wage war against your soul? How do you protect yourself from those things?

• What is the reason to keep our conduct honorable? What is the end result? Why is this important?

• In our pursuit of holiness, will we ever be perfect? What should we do when we make a mistake? What does this practically look like? Why is this difficult?

• How can we pray for you?

Called to be holy - week 1

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 3.5.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

What are your spring break plans?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

- 1 Peter 1:13

• How do you prepare your mind to do God’s will each day?

• What happens if you haven’t mentally prepared for a moment?

• What does it mean to be sober-minded?

• Why is it important to be sober-minded as a Christian?

• What does it mean to set your hope fully on grace?

• How can we pray for you?

A Mind Under construction

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 2.26.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

If you could bring back one fashion trend, what would it be?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

- 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

• Name one truth that God says about you in his word!

• If your life is headed in the direction of your strongest thoughts. Do you like the direction you’re headed? If not how can you change it?

• Has a mindset or filter that was created as a child or early adult effected how you see things today? Explain.

• When talking about perspective, why is it important to look back on what God has done?

• What do you think the hardest step of the process is? Defining the thought, Combatting the thought the first time, or saying goodbye to the thought for good?

• How can our mindset, perspective, and attitude affect those around us?

• How can we pray for you?

Under construction - Week 3

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 2.19.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

What do you want to be when you grow up?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

- Hebrews 12:7-11

• What is an example of discipline from God?

• Do you feel loved by God when you are walking through discipline? Why or why not?

• Did your perspective of your parent’s disciplining you change after you grew up? Explain.

• Why does God discipline us? For what purpose?

• Do you receive God’s discipline through other people? Do you allow God to discipline others through you?

• What is something you learned from God disciplining you that has improved your life?

• How can we pray for you?

Under construction - Week 2

28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 5:28-33

• What does it mean to love as you love your own body?

• How does Christ love the church?

• What is the significance of a man leaving his father and mother?

• How should a husband continue to “hold fast” to his wife every day? (Likewise a wife to her husband)

• How does a marriage represent Jesus and the church?

• What’s the difference between love and respect? Why does Paul use the different words for husbands and wives?

• How can we pray for you?

Under construction - Week 1

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 2.5.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

If you could be an animal, what animal would you be and why?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

- Matthew 7:24-27

• Why is hearing God’s word not enough?

• What area of your life have you noticed that you were building on sand instead of following God’s word?

• What is the benefit of applying God’s word to your life?

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

- 1 Corinthians 3:10-16

• What are some beneficial activities that are building on the foundation with gold and silver?

• What are some not-so-beneficial activities that are building with hay and straw?

• What does it mean that you are God’s temple?

• How can we pray for you?

Vision Sunday

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 1.29.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

What is your favorite snow day activity?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

- Luke 15:1-7

• Why did the pharisees have a problem with Jesus receiving sinners? Do we as the church receive sinners or grumble at them?

• What was Christ’s focus in His ministry? Do we have the same focus? Who are most church activities created for?

• Are we rejoicing over sinners coming to repentance? What does rejoicing look like?

• How are we seeking out the “lost sheep” in our community?

• What is one thing we can do as a life group this week to be more intentional about reaching the lost?

• How can we pray for you?

The best is yet to come! - Week 4

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 1.22.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

What is your favorite board/card game?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

- Joshua 6:18-20

• Jericho was full of idols and false gods. God warns His people to keep themselves from these things. What types of “idols” can we be distracted with in our culture?

• The Israelites are commanded to destroy certain things and give certain things to the Lord. How can we determine what things in our lives should be discarded and what things should be given to God?

• The people shouted out of faith before the walls fell down. What are you believing God for in 2023 that you haven’t seen yet? Are you speaking out of faith?

• After the supernatural miracle, the army had to actually go and conquer the city. After we are supernaturally saved by the grace of Jesus, we are called to go and do good works. Why do you believe so many Christians struggle with “following through” with their Christian walk into all that God is calling them to do?

• What are you most excited about God doing this year?

• How can we pray for you?

The best is yet to come! - Week 3

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 1.15.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

- Hebrews 5:12-14

• When you first became a Christian who help teach you the basic principles?

• Are you helping teach anyone basic principles? Why or why not?

• What is the best way to become “skilled in the word of righteousness”?

• Are you intentional about training yourself in your spiritual life? (Reading, praying, memorizing, life group, etc)

• Is it difficult for you to distinguish good from evil? Why or why not?

• Is it difficult for you to choose good over evil? Why or why not?

• IS it difficult for you to help others distinguish good from evil? Why or why not?

• How can we pray for you?

The best is yet to come! - Week 2

DISCUSSION GUIDE / 1.8.23

OPTIONAL INTRODUCTION QUESTION(S)

What are you looking forward to in 2023?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS -

5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

- Joshua 4:5-7

Joshua told Israel to take 12 stones to remember what God had done and so they could communicate the miracle to the next generation. Select a few of the “stones” below and discuss how God has shown Himself in your life. “What do these stones mean to you?”

• Salvation - What did God save you from?

• Freedom - How has God set you free?

• Guidance - How is God guiding you?

• Provision - How has the Lord provided for you?

• Comfort - How has the Lord comforted you?

• Healing - How has God healed you?

• Forgiveness - What has God forgiven you from?

• Mercy - In what ways has the Lord shown you Mercy?

• Grace - How has God shown you grace?

• Faith - Has God remained faithful in your life? How so?

• Hope - How has God given you hope?

• Love - Has has God demonstrated his love for you?

• How can we pray for you?