CHANGED: Marcus' Story (Downtown)

Marcus' story is a great example of a what is described by 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

Continue reading vs 18-20.

Marcus is a guy who has been made new (v17) because he accessed God through Jesus having forgiven his sins by His death on the cross (v18-19). Marcus has now become an agent for change in his home, work, and community (v20). Marcus' story is a textbook Gospel and we can experience the same power in our own lives!

Marcus' life was handcuffed and crippled by his sin. Why is sin so dangerous?

Why, then, is sin so appealing?

How can you defeat sin?

By the time you finally realize that sin is destroying you, not fulfilling you, you simultaneously realize that you can't beat sin on your own. You may have some momentary victories, but until Jesus changes your heart, you'll continue to fail in your efforts to fix yourself. You don't need an upgraded version of yourself, you need to be made new completely. That can only be done by the one who actually defeated sin - Jesus.

Do you ever feel to ashamed by your sin to come to God?

When Marcus finally wanted to make a change, he thought God would not want to listen to him, and especially not answer his prayer. He said he knew he was "dirty." When you find yourself caught in sin, don't believe the lie that you're too dirty to go to God. His qualification is that you acknowledge your dirtiness and then He promises to make you clean. Let your struggle with sin press you into God's presence, not away from Him.

When Marcus gave his life to Jesus, he actually lost his popularity/status and higher income that he had before he came to Jesus, yet he was somehow happier. Discuss how this is possible.

Marcus' joy was at an all-time high, even though income and status were at an all-time low because his joy was now bound up in something (someone) that can't be taken from him – Jesus.

As God's presence has rubbed off on Marcus, Marcus' presence has begun to positively rub off on those around him. Knowing this, what do you think the best way to reflect God is?

REVO rGroup Discussion Guide - Unfollowing Jesus

This guide is a tool to help you facilitate discussion with your rGroup. Use it to lead your group in discovering, owning, and applying God’s Word. This is a flexible tool, not a rigid task list. Follow the Holy Spirit’s lead as you lead your group. You don’t need to ask every question.

Opening Question: Tell us about a movie you walked out of, a television show you gave up on, or a book you quit reading. What about it made you walk away? 

 Understanding God’s Word: Know and Understand the Truth

READ John 6:22-71 (This is a large passage. Read as much as you feel will help your discussion!)

• What does this passage tell us about who God is? 
• What does this passage reveal to us about ourselves?
• What do you think the message of this passage is? 

  Living and Applying God’s Word: Give a Vision of Life With God

• For followers of Christ, why is the pursuing and receiving Jesus himself far better than pursuing anything that he could ever give us? (Why is Christ better than the things he gives us?)
• Why is obey and believing Jesus the teachings and commandments of Jesus far better than trying to figure out and do life on our own, even if Jesus’ way can be uncomfortable or unpopular at times? 
• Realistically, if we as Christians and the church were to believe and obey all that God says, we would find ourselves marginalized by the culture around us. But what do we stand to gain when people see that the church is different? What can God do with people who live out all that God has for us?

 Assessing the Heart: Identify and Address Sin

• Has there been a time in your life when you realized that you were following Jesus for the things that he could give you, rather than simply following him just to have him alone? What were some of those things he could give you that you desired more than him? (Examples: A ticket out of hell, a clear conscious, relationships, job, material possessions or wealth, status, etc.)
• Has there been anything that God has said or commanded that you’ve felt uncomfortable with or disagreed with? What in particular?
• What are the consequences of believers who pick and choose what they believe about God’s truth and teachings? 
  • How does it affect your relationship with God?
  • How does it affect your witness as a Christian to the people that God has placed in your life?

 Turn to God: Confess and Renew Belief in God

• READ John 6:60-65 — For those of us who struggle to accept some of the teachings about our faith, about different things that God says is true or right or good, what hope is there that we can truly believe and embrace all that God says? 
  • God's Grace — We aren’t left to ourselves to figure it out. God pursues us and changes us. He can make us new!
  • 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 — As Christians, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit and we are now 'in Christ.' These things will help us to believe God. Seek him and ask him to help you believe!
• Over the course of our lies, we will struggle with doubt and questions about our faith. And that’s ok. 
  • Why is God big enough to take on our doubts and questions, and how can we take those things to him? 
  • How can we as a community of believers encourage one another as we experience doubts and questions in our faith? 

REVO rGroup Discussion Guide - The Road to Emmaus

This guide is a tool to help you facilitate discussion with your rGroup. Use it to lead your group in discovering, owning, and applying God’s Word. This is a flexible tool, not a rigid task list. Follow the Holy Spirit’s lead as you lead your group. You don’t need to ask every question.

Opening Question: What’s a time in your life where you feel like you’d lost all hope? 

 

 

Understanding God’s Word: Know and Understand the Truth

READ Luke 24:13-35

•  Read vs. 27 again. What does this mean? 
  • How does all of Scripture truly point us to Jesus, whether he is mentioned by name or not? 
• What does this passage reveal to you about God? 
• What does this passage reveal to you about yourself? 

  Living and Applying God’s Word: Give a Vision of Life With God

• Tell us about a time when Jesus revealed himself to you, when he became quite real to you. 
• Jesus’ disciples found encouragement and hope when they shared the good news and truth about Jesus with one another.
  • How does being part of a church and living in community with other believers help remind us about the good news of the gospel and give you hope for this life? 

 Assessing the Heart: Identify and Address Sin

• In spite of the fact that God is daily present in your life and always working for you, what are some of the reasons that you fail to see him or recognize his work? 
• Tell us about a time where you’ve really questioned God’s plan or had your doubts about Jesus. 

 Turn to God: Confess and Renew Belief in God

• In what way does the resurrection of Jesus bring hope into your life, into your doubts, into your struggles, into the difficulties?
  • Examples from Scripture: Resurrection = We can experience freedom from sin (Romans 6); Resurrection = we have the hope of victory over death and hope of eternal life (1 Corinthians 15)
• God’s Word is the greatest resource that we’ve been given for when we lose our focus and belief in Jesus. 
  • How might spending intentional time in God’s Word help you in those moments and seasons of life? 

This guide is a tool to help you facilitate discussion with your rGroup. Use it to lead your group in discovering, owning, and applying God’s Word. This is a flexible tool, not a rigid task list. Follow the Holy Spirit’s lead as you lead your group. You don’t need to ask every question.

Opening Question:  

How has your mom’s (or another mom’s) walk with Jesus highly impacted your life?

[See if anyone’s answers line up with the 5 sermon points: Give love, hospitality, service, spiritual gifts, glory to God.]

Understanding God’s Word: Know and Understand the Truth

READ 1 Peter 4:7-11

•    Briefly summarize the message of this Scripture.

•    What does this passage tell us about who God is?

•    What does this passage tell us about ourselves? 

Living and Applying God’s Word: Give a Vision of Life with God

  

(7) Why is it so important to always be focused, urgent, alert, ready, disciplined, etc.? 

How should our important mission affect our lives?

See the two commands after “therefore.”

(8) Why is “showing love” the “most important of all”?

How has someone else showing their love turned you to God?

How did Jesus act towards those against him?

(9) What’s a greatest definition or example of hospitality that you can think of?

Why is it so hard to be hospitable to strangers?

How can our rGroup be more hospitable?

(10) What gift has God given you?

How do you use it to serve others?

What is the general principle that we need to keep in mind as we use our spiritual gift?

What are some spiritual ways of serving Peter mentions from verses 9 and 11?

(11) Why do we serve?

How can our rGroup serve better?

What’s the ultimate goal? (end of verse 11)

Assessing the Heart: Identify and Address Sin

Sometimes, we as Christians can become arrogant and prideful by thinking we are good because we have not done anything really bad in a while. We often think the only way to sin is by actively doing something wrong. However, we can be living in sin by NOT actively doing what God has asked of us.

Which of these actions mentioned in this passage do you do the least?

Give love.

Give hospitality.

Give service.

Give spiritual gifts to others.

Give glory to God.

Turn to God: Confess and Renew Belief in God

When Peter writes this letter, he knows that these things will either make or break the follower of Christ / make or break the church / make or break the mission.

What can you do THIS WEEK to get started on doing the thing you confessed you lacked most?

The greatest encouragement is that doing these things will make you more like Christ!

Come With Me Series (How Much Does It Cost?)

This guide is a tool to help you facilitate discussion with your rGroup. Use it to lead your group in discovering, owning, and applying God’s Word. This is a flexible tool, not a rigid task list. Follow the Holy Spirit’s lead as you lead your group. You don’t need to ask every question.

Opening Question:  

How long have you been a follower of Jesus? (Keep in mind, some people in your group may not be followers of Jesus)

Understanding God’s Word: Know and Understand the Truth

READ Matthew 16:21-26

• Briefly summarize the message of this Scripture.
• What does this passage tell us about who God is?
• What does this passage reveal to us about ourselves? 

Living and Applying God’s Word: Give a Vision of Life with God

When you decided to follow Jesus, was the cost of doing so on your mind?

• Did you think it would cost you anything? If so, what came to mind?
• Did you have a sense of joy, or intimidation, when thinking about following Jesus?
• Did you understand that Jesus was asking you to do?

Why should Peter follow Jesus, knowing where Jesus was going (to die on the cross)?

• Discuss these 2 opposing perspectives: Human point of view VS God’s point of view
• Discuss these 2 opposing perspectives: Focus on what you give up VS Focus on what Jesus gives

Q: How can you ultimately deny yourself? – A: Remove yourself from the throne.
Q: How can you pick up your cross? – A: Abandon personal ambition in order to follow Jesus.
Q: How can you follow Jesus right now? – A: Give control and life choices to Jesus.

Assessing the Heart: Identify and Address Sin

Peter loved Jesus. He also loved the community he now had with the other disciples. He knew Jesus was awesome!...because of the miracles he’s seen Jesus perform. However, now Peter is at a critical point in his life where he understands what following Jesus will cost him. It’s at this point, where he decides to keep going on the journey.

• Are you at that critical point in your life where you’re weighing the cost?
• Is there anything in your life that needs to die in order for you to live?
• What’s keeping you from following where Jesus has called you to?

Keep in mind, following Jesus is a daily decision. Every day, you’ll need to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus.

Turn to God: Confess and Renew Belief in God

Address and confess the problem/sin, before you can change.

• What’s keeping you from denying yourself? Who or what is on the throne in your life?
• Why won’t you pick up your cross? What personal ambition is keeping you from following Jesus?
• What’s your biggest problem with following Jesus? Why won’t you let Jesus lead you?