Monday, September 30, 2019
Make Room- Week 4
Running On Empty
RECAP:
When you drive your car, eventually you have to stop and refill your fuel tank. You life is no different, and if we neglect margin in key areas then we’ll find ourselves stranded on the side of the road of life with our tank on empty. We can keep our tanks filled and avoid a breakdown in these key areas of life by coming to Jesus first, giving up control, and learning to trust him.
Icebreaker:
1- Have you ever run out of gas? Tell the story of what you did (walked to gas station, called a friend, called Triple-A to bring some gas) and why you ran out of gas (didn’t notice the gauge was low; thought you could make it a little bit further; gauge didn’t work so played the guessing game; by the time you realized you needed gas, the nearest station was too far away to make it).
2- What type of driver are you when it comes to filling up your car with gas?
A. Anything below a half tank, top it off, just in case!
B. Anything below a quarter tank, start looking for a station.
C. Once the light comes on, start looking for a station.
D. Once the light comes on, drive another 20 miles knowing that you can drive 30 miles after the light comes on before you run out.
Transition:
Jesus extends the invitation in Matthew 11:28 to those who are tired and weary. It seems that the precursor to seeking God oftentimes is our willingness to admit that we are completely at the end of our rope.
Study
—Get Sick & Tired of being Sick & Tired—
3- Until you are willing to come to terms that your life needs to change, then your life won’t change. What are the top 3 things in your life that you are sick and tired of?
—Turn to Jesus—
4- What exactly did Jesus have in mind when he said, “Come to me”? What steps or actions are needed to “come to Jesus”? How is this different from society’s solution to getting rest?
5- “Coming to Jesus” is easy to talk about, but hard to put into practice. Why is it difficult for you to turn to Jesus for rest, instead of what society tells us to do?
—Stop Trying to Control Everything—
6- How can being yoked to Jesus actually lighten your load and make your burdens easier to carry?
—Trust Jesus—
7- What does it look like to take those top 3 areas of frustration in life and trust Jesus with them?
8- In Matthew 11:29, Jesus promises “rest for your soul.” What’s the difference between rest for your body and rest for your soul?
Next Steps:
9- Using your list of the top 3 areas of life in which you are sick and tired, write down a prayer to pray specifically asking God for help in that area. Pray those daily.
10- Share your top 3 list with someone in the group and ask them to help keep you accountable in those areas.
11- What is one way that you can practically focus on “coming to Jesus” this week? (Maybe praying for 10 minutes a day, setting time aside to pray with your spouse/family, start a week-long bible reading plan on the Bible app)
12- What are the things you do in life that keep your tank full? (spiritually, relationally, financially, emotionally, physically). Identify those things and make them a part of your daily routine.
Additional study:
13- Read Matthew 11:25-27. After talking about the father only being revealed through the Son, Jesus says “come to me all who labor and are weary, and I will…” If you did not know the way the sentence ends, wouldn’t it be easy to fill in the blank with “reveal the Father to you” or “show you the Father.”
Instead of claiming Sonship in that way, Jesus switches gears and says that he can give you rest. Could the revelation of God that Jesus says is only found through the Son be directly connected to the rest Jesus offers? (Leader note: This is a deep question that may take a while to understand. That is okay. The point is that true rest is found in the revelation of God, not our circumstance or a physical/emotional feeling. Peace starts with knowing truth. And we know that the best revelation of God is Jesus himself. In essence, a confession of Jesus as God gives access to peace).
14- For more study on the idea of true rest, read Hebrews 3:16-4:11. This is a text on the Promised Land, rest, and salvation by grace alone. Here are a few questions to initiate conversation toward the goal of discovering true rest:
a. God promised the Israelites rest in the Promised Land. Even though Joshua led them into the territory physically, he couldn’t lead them into the land spiritually (4:9). We already talked about the difference between physical rest and spiritual rest. How does this text from Hebrews connect with that idea in a deeper way? (Leader note: The next question answers this one. We just want the group members to think through this first).
b. Heb. 4:10 says that the same Sabbath rest God took after creating is still available as a promise to claim. The Jewish people at this time were continuing to follow the law and wait on the Messiah rather than follow Jesus and choose grace. Thus, the writer of Hebrews told them to rest from their works. True rest is found in trusting in the grace of Jesus not on our own good works. Have you been subconsciously (or consciously) trusting in your own good works to please God? (Leader note: the tendency is to answer this question quickly with a resounding “no.” But most people struggle to truly accept the grace of God and relinquish reliance on works. Encourage your group (and yourself!) to do a heart check here. Is the sacrifice of Jesus enough for you to rest in? Or do you try to please God with church attendance, serving the community, sharing the gospel, reading your bible, etc.?)
c. Write down a few ways that you try to achieve rest by working toward salvation, rather than resting from works and trusting in Jesus. Make a corresponding list of how you can self-correct this week (e.g. I try to please God and earn his love by not sinning. This week, when I avoid sin and start to think I earn God’s love/salvation, I will counter that thought by praying a prayer of thanksgiving for the work of Jesus on my behalf).
RECAP:
When you drive your car, eventually you have to stop and refill your fuel tank. You life is no different, and if we neglect margin in key areas then we’ll find ourselves stranded on the side of the road of life with our tank on empty. We can keep our tanks filled and avoid a breakdown in these key areas of life by coming to Jesus first, giving up control, and learning to trust him.
Icebreaker:
1- Have you ever run out of gas? Tell the story of what you did (walked to gas station, called a friend, called Triple-A to bring some gas) and why you ran out of gas (didn’t notice the gauge was low; thought you could make it a little bit further; gauge didn’t work so played the guessing game; by the time you realized you needed gas, the nearest station was too far away to make it).
2- What type of driver are you when it comes to filling up your car with gas?
A. Anything below a half tank, top it off, just in case!
B. Anything below a quarter tank, start looking for a station.
C. Once the light comes on, start looking for a station.
D. Once the light comes on, drive another 20 miles knowing that you can drive 30 miles after the light comes on before you run out.
Transition:
Jesus extends the invitation in Matthew 11:28 to those who are tired and weary. It seems that the precursor to seeking God oftentimes is our willingness to admit that we are completely at the end of our rope.
Study
—Get Sick & Tired of being Sick & Tired—
3- Until you are willing to come to terms that your life needs to change, then your life won’t change. What are the top 3 things in your life that you are sick and tired of?
—Turn to Jesus—
4- What exactly did Jesus have in mind when he said, “Come to me”? What steps or actions are needed to “come to Jesus”? How is this different from society’s solution to getting rest?
5- “Coming to Jesus” is easy to talk about, but hard to put into practice. Why is it difficult for you to turn to Jesus for rest, instead of what society tells us to do?
—Stop Trying to Control Everything—
6- How can being yoked to Jesus actually lighten your load and make your burdens easier to carry?
—Trust Jesus—
7- What does it look like to take those top 3 areas of frustration in life and trust Jesus with them?
8- In Matthew 11:29, Jesus promises “rest for your soul.” What’s the difference between rest for your body and rest for your soul?
Next Steps:
9- Using your list of the top 3 areas of life in which you are sick and tired, write down a prayer to pray specifically asking God for help in that area. Pray those daily.
10- Share your top 3 list with someone in the group and ask them to help keep you accountable in those areas.
11- What is one way that you can practically focus on “coming to Jesus” this week? (Maybe praying for 10 minutes a day, setting time aside to pray with your spouse/family, start a week-long bible reading plan on the Bible app)
12- What are the things you do in life that keep your tank full? (spiritually, relationally, financially, emotionally, physically). Identify those things and make them a part of your daily routine.
Additional study:
13- Read Matthew 11:25-27. After talking about the father only being revealed through the Son, Jesus says “come to me all who labor and are weary, and I will…” If you did not know the way the sentence ends, wouldn’t it be easy to fill in the blank with “reveal the Father to you” or “show you the Father.”
Instead of claiming Sonship in that way, Jesus switches gears and says that he can give you rest. Could the revelation of God that Jesus says is only found through the Son be directly connected to the rest Jesus offers? (Leader note: This is a deep question that may take a while to understand. That is okay. The point is that true rest is found in the revelation of God, not our circumstance or a physical/emotional feeling. Peace starts with knowing truth. And we know that the best revelation of God is Jesus himself. In essence, a confession of Jesus as God gives access to peace).
14- For more study on the idea of true rest, read Hebrews 3:16-4:11. This is a text on the Promised Land, rest, and salvation by grace alone. Here are a few questions to initiate conversation toward the goal of discovering true rest:
a. God promised the Israelites rest in the Promised Land. Even though Joshua led them into the territory physically, he couldn’t lead them into the land spiritually (4:9). We already talked about the difference between physical rest and spiritual rest. How does this text from Hebrews connect with that idea in a deeper way? (Leader note: The next question answers this one. We just want the group members to think through this first).
b. Heb. 4:10 says that the same Sabbath rest God took after creating is still available as a promise to claim. The Jewish people at this time were continuing to follow the law and wait on the Messiah rather than follow Jesus and choose grace. Thus, the writer of Hebrews told them to rest from their works. True rest is found in trusting in the grace of Jesus not on our own good works. Have you been subconsciously (or consciously) trusting in your own good works to please God? (Leader note: the tendency is to answer this question quickly with a resounding “no.” But most people struggle to truly accept the grace of God and relinquish reliance on works. Encourage your group (and yourself!) to do a heart check here. Is the sacrifice of Jesus enough for you to rest in? Or do you try to please God with church attendance, serving the community, sharing the gospel, reading your bible, etc.?)
c. Write down a few ways that you try to achieve rest by working toward salvation, rather than resting from works and trusting in Jesus. Make a corresponding list of how you can self-correct this week (e.g. I try to please God and earn his love by not sinning. This week, when I avoid sin and start to think I earn God’s love/salvation, I will counter that thought by praying a prayer of thanksgiving for the work of Jesus on my behalf).
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Make Room- Week 3
Recap:
It’s difficult to say ‘no.’ Saying ‘yes’ feels so much better! But every ‘yes’ comes with a cost, which means we need to think through whether we are agreeing to the best things in life. Our ‘yeses’ have the potential of getting in the way—if we’re not careful, they can start to squeeze out the things that are most important.
Let’s talk about the art of saying ‘no’ so that we can say ‘yes’ to the most important things in life. Let’s Make Room!
Icebreaker:
1- What’s the last thing you said ‘yes’ to that you really didn’t want to do? (And please don’t say “Join this rGroup!”)
2- Is it hard for you to say 'no'? Why or why not?
Transition:
Contrary to popular belief, this story isn’t teaching that we should all be Mary and not be Martha. In fact, there are many times in Scripture where Jesus calls people to action; to essentially stop sitting down and get up and do something! The point of this text is to identify the opportunity in every situation and learn to choose the best ‘yes’ in every area of life.
Study:
Reread Luke 10:38-42
1- Who do you relate to the most in this story: Mary or Martha?
2- Are you bothered by people that are different than you? (Martha was obviously bothered by Mary’s apparent lack of work ethic).
3- What are the strengths of each? What are the potential pitfalls of each?
## GOOD THINGS become BAD THINGS when they squeeze out the IMPORTANT THINGS
4- The NIV of the texts says that Martha was “distracted” by many things. What are the things in life that oftentimes distract you from what’s most important?
5- Having margin in life is about building your decisions and time around what’s BEST instead of what’s GOOD. List off a few “good” things in life, then list the “best” things that God has called you to daily.
6- Has it been a struggle to find time for the best, most important things in your life?
## Every Moment is Filled with Opportunity
7- Tell of a time in life where you looked back on the day and realized you missed a huge opportunity (Open door to share your faith with a friend, chance to help someone, missed out on a blessing, etc)
8- Make of list of the opportunities that you have daily, and give a few examples of how you can seize those opportunities so make an impact (driving in the car with kids on the way to school, conversation around the dinner table, daily interaction with co-workers, opportunity to engage/learn in your rGroup each week, seeing your neighbor working in the yard every weekend, etc).
Next Steps:
9- Despite all of the flack that Martha catches from this story, she was actually the one that initiated and facilitated the entire opportunity for Mary. What are ways that you can initiate an opportunity this week for someone to encounter Jesus? (sharing your faith, inviting someone to church, bringing Jesus up in a conversation, offering to pray for someone, sharing something on social media that you're reading or learning from)
10- Plan and prioritize your day to make sure that you are saying YES to the most important things as opposed to the non-essentials or urgent things that pop up. Start each morning by defining what's most important for that day.
11- Here are some great “yeses” that you can prioritize this week:
A- Spend 5 minutes daily in prayer
B- commit to read your bible daily
C- commit to serve someone every week
D- commit to preparing and being engaged in group so that you can grow deeper and help others in their walk with Jesus
It’s difficult to say ‘no.’ Saying ‘yes’ feels so much better! But every ‘yes’ comes with a cost, which means we need to think through whether we are agreeing to the best things in life. Our ‘yeses’ have the potential of getting in the way—if we’re not careful, they can start to squeeze out the things that are most important.
Let’s talk about the art of saying ‘no’ so that we can say ‘yes’ to the most important things in life. Let’s Make Room!
Icebreaker:
1- What’s the last thing you said ‘yes’ to that you really didn’t want to do? (And please don’t say “Join this rGroup!”)
2- Is it hard for you to say 'no'? Why or why not?
Transition:
Contrary to popular belief, this story isn’t teaching that we should all be Mary and not be Martha. In fact, there are many times in Scripture where Jesus calls people to action; to essentially stop sitting down and get up and do something! The point of this text is to identify the opportunity in every situation and learn to choose the best ‘yes’ in every area of life.
Study:
Reread Luke 10:38-42
1- Who do you relate to the most in this story: Mary or Martha?
2- Are you bothered by people that are different than you? (Martha was obviously bothered by Mary’s apparent lack of work ethic).
3- What are the strengths of each? What are the potential pitfalls of each?
## GOOD THINGS become BAD THINGS when they squeeze out the IMPORTANT THINGS
4- The NIV of the texts says that Martha was “distracted” by many things. What are the things in life that oftentimes distract you from what’s most important?
5- Having margin in life is about building your decisions and time around what’s BEST instead of what’s GOOD. List off a few “good” things in life, then list the “best” things that God has called you to daily.
6- Has it been a struggle to find time for the best, most important things in your life?
## Every Moment is Filled with Opportunity
7- Tell of a time in life where you looked back on the day and realized you missed a huge opportunity (Open door to share your faith with a friend, chance to help someone, missed out on a blessing, etc)
8- Make of list of the opportunities that you have daily, and give a few examples of how you can seize those opportunities so make an impact (driving in the car with kids on the way to school, conversation around the dinner table, daily interaction with co-workers, opportunity to engage/learn in your rGroup each week, seeing your neighbor working in the yard every weekend, etc).
Next Steps:
9- Despite all of the flack that Martha catches from this story, she was actually the one that initiated and facilitated the entire opportunity for Mary. What are ways that you can initiate an opportunity this week for someone to encounter Jesus? (sharing your faith, inviting someone to church, bringing Jesus up in a conversation, offering to pray for someone, sharing something on social media that you're reading or learning from)
10- Plan and prioritize your day to make sure that you are saying YES to the most important things as opposed to the non-essentials or urgent things that pop up. Start each morning by defining what's most important for that day.
11- Here are some great “yeses” that you can prioritize this week:
A- Spend 5 minutes daily in prayer
B- commit to read your bible daily
C- commit to serve someone every week
D- commit to preparing and being engaged in group so that you can grow deeper and help others in their walk with Jesus
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Make Room - Week 2
Recap:
Nowhere do we feel the stress of a margin-less life more than in the area of money. Most of us live right up to (and even over) the limits of our budget. While it might be the American way, it is also a stressful way to live, especially when an unexpected cost comes our way and our homes or cars start falling apart.
The Bible points to a better way: to leave financial margin in our budgets. Wise people make a radical choice to live on less than what they make so they can save and give generously. While living this way is incredibly beneficial, it does require some hard choices. Let’s talk practically about how to create financial margin in our lives.
1- If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would buy with the money?
2- What subject is your least favorite to hear about at church? For most people, it’s money! Why do you think it makes so many people uncomfortable? (This subject makes a lot of people uncomfortable. It’s best to go ahead and shed light on this fact, rather than try to walk around on eggshells the entire time of discussion).
Transition:
Like the message from this past Sunday, we’re talking about money. A lot of people cringe at this subject. Let’s change that narrative with this rGroup discussion time! Biblical, Gospel-centered finances should be celebrated, not cringey!
3- Why do so many of us live at, or above, our financial limit? What pressures exist today that cause us to overextend our budgets?
4- In your opinion, what is a good way to view your personal/family’s finances as a follower of Christ? (We want to hear your answer, not what you think the right answer is!)
#1- GIVE FIRST
a- Proverbs 3:9-10; 21:20
b- 2 Corinthians 8:12; 9:7
5- What can we learn about giving from these passages?
6- What can we learn about the heart of God toward givers?
7- How have you seen God work in your life when you chose to be generous?
#2- SAVE SECOND
c- Proverbs 30:24-25
8- Most of the financial strain that we face today is due to a lack of saving. For people in the group that save, ask them how they started. How do you save? (Put it in an envelope, separate savings account, designate it some way?)
8- Most of the financial strain that we face today is due to a lack of saving. For people in the group that save, ask them how they started. How do you save? (Put it in an envelope, separate savings account, designate it some way?)
#3- ENJOY THIRD
d- 1 Timothy 6:17
e- Ecclesiastes 5:19
9- These verses instruct us to enjoy our time on earth! Does this come as a shock to you? (Some picture God as a “no-fun allowed” harsh dictator in the clouds. Use these verses to dispel this myth).
Next Steps:
We see a pattern emerging to follow with our finances. God first, us second. Even in the passages about enjoyment, our call is to hope in God, not our wealth. Everything we have starts with God.
10- What are some practical ways we can put God first in our finances this next week?
11- What is one truth that the passages we read today taught you or reminded you of? How can you put this truth into practice?
Additional Study:
12- Read Ecclesiastes 5:10. What does it mean that people who love money never have enough?
12- Read Ecclesiastes 5:10. What does it mean that people who love money never have enough?
13- Use this link to read about John Wesley’s sermon entitled “The Use of Money.” It’s really short and provides great things to think about in regards to money. Wesley lived off 10% of his income and gave the other 90%. So, he would be a great guy to learn from!
Monday, September 9, 2019
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Make Room - Week 1
Series Intro:
Life is so busy. We are busy at work, busy at home, busy with family activities, and busy at church. As a result, many of us feel overstretched when it comes to our time, relationships, and finances. We're trying to keep up with a culture that is running on overdrive all of the time. It's no wonder most of us feel stressed and behind, and words like "joy," "rest," and "peace" sound so foreign to us.
We don't have to live this way! Many times, we feel like we don't have any choice but to live at or above our limits. However, we can choose to live differently. We can decide to have margin in our lives--where we intentionally make room for things that matter most, for relationships to develop, for money to be left over at the end of the month, and for opportunities to recharge and rest.
The choice is a strange one. Although most of us don't live this way today, margin is a Jesus-like choice. It's time to Make Room for more.
Icebreakers:
-On a scale of 1-10, how overwhelming is life right now? Why? What is the biggest source of stress for you?
-If you could Make Room in one area of your life (i.e. extra hour of unhurried time somewhere, extra cash somewhere in your budget, extra energy for a relationship), where would it be and why?
Study Notes:
-Want to get an idea of what a day-in-the-life of Jesus was like? Take a minute to read Jesus' calendar:
a- Mark 1:22-28, 29-34, 35-39
b- Mark 3:7-10
c- Mark 6:30-34, 45-46
REREAD Mark 1:35-39
-Jesus lived a busy life, but still had margin. Margin is not about being a slacker or doing LESS. It's about learning how to be the most effective in your life and Making Room for what's most important.
1- Jesus had to fight to make room for what really mattered to him. What steps did Jesus take in order to find unhurried time?
2- Is it easy or hard for you to find unhurried time in your day? Where or what time of the day does it tend to happen?
3- Why did the disciples decide to interrupt Jesus? Put yourself in their shoes--what do you think they expected Jesus to do when they said, "Everyone is looking for you?"
-GOOD things can become BAD things when they squeeze out the MOST IMPORTANT things in your life.
4- There were so many needs around Jesus, yet He confidently said "no" to them and moved on to the next area. Is it hard for you to say no to people? Why?
5- Why do you think Jesus responded the way He did? What does it tell you about how He ordered His time, energy, and life?
-If you are going to prioritize what is most important, then you have to define what is most important in your life FIRST.
6- Identify the major categories in your life (family, friends, work, fun, faith) and organize the list of what matters the most to you.
Why is it so easy to write them down in the correct order, but our lives are usually spent giving time/energy/effort in a different order of that list?
Next Steps:
7- What's the biggest takeaway from the message/text this week?
8- What's the one action step you are going to take in response to the message/text this week?
Additional Study:
A: Read Matthew 6:33.
-What does it mean to "Seek first the Kingdom of God?"
B: Read Matthew 6:19-21.
-How do these verses relate to our study this week?
Life is so busy. We are busy at work, busy at home, busy with family activities, and busy at church. As a result, many of us feel overstretched when it comes to our time, relationships, and finances. We're trying to keep up with a culture that is running on overdrive all of the time. It's no wonder most of us feel stressed and behind, and words like "joy," "rest," and "peace" sound so foreign to us.
We don't have to live this way! Many times, we feel like we don't have any choice but to live at or above our limits. However, we can choose to live differently. We can decide to have margin in our lives--where we intentionally make room for things that matter most, for relationships to develop, for money to be left over at the end of the month, and for opportunities to recharge and rest.
The choice is a strange one. Although most of us don't live this way today, margin is a Jesus-like choice. It's time to Make Room for more.
Icebreakers:
-On a scale of 1-10, how overwhelming is life right now? Why? What is the biggest source of stress for you?
-If you could Make Room in one area of your life (i.e. extra hour of unhurried time somewhere, extra cash somewhere in your budget, extra energy for a relationship), where would it be and why?
Study Notes:
-Want to get an idea of what a day-in-the-life of Jesus was like? Take a minute to read Jesus' calendar:
a- Mark 1:22-28, 29-34, 35-39
b- Mark 3:7-10
c- Mark 6:30-34, 45-46
REREAD Mark 1:35-39
-Jesus lived a busy life, but still had margin. Margin is not about being a slacker or doing LESS. It's about learning how to be the most effective in your life and Making Room for what's most important.
1- Jesus had to fight to make room for what really mattered to him. What steps did Jesus take in order to find unhurried time?
2- Is it easy or hard for you to find unhurried time in your day? Where or what time of the day does it tend to happen?
3- Why did the disciples decide to interrupt Jesus? Put yourself in their shoes--what do you think they expected Jesus to do when they said, "Everyone is looking for you?"
-GOOD things can become BAD things when they squeeze out the MOST IMPORTANT things in your life.
4- There were so many needs around Jesus, yet He confidently said "no" to them and moved on to the next area. Is it hard for you to say no to people? Why?
5- Why do you think Jesus responded the way He did? What does it tell you about how He ordered His time, energy, and life?
-If you are going to prioritize what is most important, then you have to define what is most important in your life FIRST.
6- Identify the major categories in your life (family, friends, work, fun, faith) and organize the list of what matters the most to you.
Why is it so easy to write them down in the correct order, but our lives are usually spent giving time/energy/effort in a different order of that list?
Next Steps:
7- What's the biggest takeaway from the message/text this week?
8- What's the one action step you are going to take in response to the message/text this week?
Additional Study:
A: Read Matthew 6:33.
-What does it mean to "Seek first the Kingdom of God?"
B: Read Matthew 6:19-21.
-How do these verses relate to our study this week?
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Summer Mixtape: Psalm 139
ICEBREAKERS:
-Take a minute for everyone to introduce themselves, and ask why they joined your rGroup and what they hope to get out of the rGroup this season.
-Take a poll of the group: If someone tells you, "I have good news and bad news," which do you want to hear first? Why?
For some people, Psalm 139 sounds like really good news; for others, it sounds like really bad news.
READ vs 1-4
1- David makes it obvious that God knows EVERYTHING about you.
-Is that good news to you, or bad news?
-Why is that a good thing?
(Don't we all have a deep desire to be known? To not have to be a fake or a fraud around people, to just be ourselves? Don't you like relationships like that, and desire more?)
-Why do some think that's a bad thing?
(If most people in our lives knew EVERYTHING about us, they would judge us, reject us, probably think we are crazy, and may not even want to associate with us anymore. Do you think that God would respond the same way?)
READ vs 5-6
2- Despite knowing EVERYTHING about you, God still draws near to you
-What is your response when you find out something negative about someone else? (Do you tend to reach out and offer help, disconnect, give the cold shoulder, automatically forgive, ignore it)
-What does the Bible teach us about how God responds to our sin when we confess to Him through prayer?
READ vs 7-12
3- God knows EVERYTHING about you because there is no where you can go that is outside of His presence and reach
-Is that good news to you, or bad news?
-One of our greatest feelings of concern in life is being alone. Share an example of a time in life where you felt alone and isolated.
-Knowing that God's presence is promised to us always, how does that affect the words we say, the way we treat others, the things we do, and the thoughts that we have?
READ vs 13-16
-David says that God has a book with every moment of your life recorded in it even before your first moment is lived.
-Is that good news to you, or bad news?
-Identify the chapters of the book that would have been in David's book:
(Being a shepherd boy, killing Goliath, being crowned king, many great victories in battle, adultery, murder, lies and cover-ups)
-Despite God knowing EVERYTHING about his life, why is David so upbeat and happy in this Psalm?
-How does that relate to your life today? Why is it so incredible that God knows EVERYTHING about your life?
-What are the specific ways that God responded to that kind of knowledge about you?
(Loved you where you were as a sinner, loved you too much to leave you there hopeless, gave Jesus to die for your sins, sent the Holy Spirit to equip and lead and guide your life, gave you purpose and joy and satisfaction in life)
-What does communion specifically communicate to you about God's response to knowing EVERYTHING about you?
-Take a minute for everyone to introduce themselves, and ask why they joined your rGroup and what they hope to get out of the rGroup this season.
-Take a poll of the group: If someone tells you, "I have good news and bad news," which do you want to hear first? Why?
For some people, Psalm 139 sounds like really good news; for others, it sounds like really bad news.
READ vs 1-4
1- David makes it obvious that God knows EVERYTHING about you.
-Is that good news to you, or bad news?
-Why is that a good thing?
(Don't we all have a deep desire to be known? To not have to be a fake or a fraud around people, to just be ourselves? Don't you like relationships like that, and desire more?)
-Why do some think that's a bad thing?
(If most people in our lives knew EVERYTHING about us, they would judge us, reject us, probably think we are crazy, and may not even want to associate with us anymore. Do you think that God would respond the same way?)
READ vs 5-6
2- Despite knowing EVERYTHING about you, God still draws near to you
-What is your response when you find out something negative about someone else? (Do you tend to reach out and offer help, disconnect, give the cold shoulder, automatically forgive, ignore it)
-What does the Bible teach us about how God responds to our sin when we confess to Him through prayer?
READ vs 7-12
3- God knows EVERYTHING about you because there is no where you can go that is outside of His presence and reach
-Is that good news to you, or bad news?
-One of our greatest feelings of concern in life is being alone. Share an example of a time in life where you felt alone and isolated.
-Knowing that God's presence is promised to us always, how does that affect the words we say, the way we treat others, the things we do, and the thoughts that we have?
READ vs 13-16
-David says that God has a book with every moment of your life recorded in it even before your first moment is lived.
-Is that good news to you, or bad news?
-Identify the chapters of the book that would have been in David's book:
(Being a shepherd boy, killing Goliath, being crowned king, many great victories in battle, adultery, murder, lies and cover-ups)
-Despite God knowing EVERYTHING about his life, why is David so upbeat and happy in this Psalm?
-How does that relate to your life today? Why is it so incredible that God knows EVERYTHING about your life?
-What are the specific ways that God responded to that kind of knowledge about you?
(Loved you where you were as a sinner, loved you too much to leave you there hopeless, gave Jesus to die for your sins, sent the Holy Spirit to equip and lead and guide your life, gave you purpose and joy and satisfaction in life)
-What does communion specifically communicate to you about God's response to knowing EVERYTHING about you?
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