Summary: Paul gives us the recipe to take our lives to a whole 'notha level! However, there are 3 things that we must do in order to realize the mission and purpose of our lives and effectively utilize the gifts that God has given us: Get Prepared, Eliminate Excuses, and Take Action.
Text: 1 Timothy 4:6-16
1. What kind of training and disciplines do you have in your life? Diet, exercise, routines, schedules, hobbies. What about spiritually? How are you training and preparing in your life now to reach the next level in your spiritual life?
2. Do a quick self-evaluation. What kind of man or woman would you LIKE to be spiritually? What would your goals be? Reading the Bible, time in prayer, closeness to God, growing in knowledge, etc. So what's keeping you from being the man or woman of God that you would like to be? What kind of disciplines do you need to start? What do your first small steps need to be?
3. Scripture says that every follower of Jesus is given a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit. Do you know what your spiritual gift is? There are some great free online tests that you can take to find out what your gifts are (www.SpiritualGiftsTest.com).
What are some of the excuses that we give for not using our gifts? (tired, want the personal time, lazy, don't know the gift, think it's a lame gift). How can we move past those?
4. What do you need to "try" this week in order to take an action step? What areas should you "immerse yourself" and dive right in? What areas do you think you would really thrive in and bring a lot to the table? (Group leaders can help their members get plugged in and connected to the right people and help you move forward!)
5. Closing challenge from vs 16: Does your life line up with your beliefs? If you know you have a purpose and a mission, if you know you were created for God's fame and glory, if you know you were given gifts to help others follow Jesus, then does your life reflect those realizations?
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Adult Content: Leading Is Better
ANNOUNCEMENT: Talk to your group about baptism. We are having our next baptism service at the north campus on March 22. This is a great time as a leader for you to step up and help others see the importance of baptism and help them take their next step!
Summary: Paul lays out for Timothy what God is looking for in church leadership. The characteristics of godly leadership are sometimes in stark contrast with what culture views. Three areas in particular are highlighted: Personal, Family, and Public.
Text: 1 Timothy 3:1-13
1. How does culture define leadership? What are some of the most popular leadership traits in your line of work? How does those compare to some of the ones that Paul articulates?
2. Personal: God Focuses On Character
Reread the list of character traits in 1 Timothy 3:1-3, 6 and 8.
a.What are the traits you are doing well with? What are the harder traits?
b. How can your rGroup work harder at being hospitable for the sake of the Gospel and lead in that way?
c. Read Matthew 6:24. Why do we struggle with money so much? Why does money tend to be the thing that Jesus chose to address so often? How can money get in the way of strong godly leadership?
3. Family: Leadership Starts At Home
Read 1 Timothy 3:4-5, 11-12
a. Paul said that there is no way he would trust someone with other leadership positions if they weren't leading well in their home. What connection do they have? Why would God be interested in how you lead at home?
b. What are some of the "ministries" that God has entrusted you with in your home? Wife, husband, parents, kids, roommates, neighbors, friends, etc.
4. Outside: Leaders Always Live It Out
Read 1 Timothy 3:7, 9-10.
a. What is the connection with how outsiders see you and how they view Jesus? How they view the Church? How they view Christianity as a whole? Why can't you just live your life the way you want to and let the Bible speak for itself?
b. Read James 1:22. What are areas where your beliefs are high and well informed, but your life and actions are lagging behind? How do you need to step up and be a doer and lead?
Summary: Paul lays out for Timothy what God is looking for in church leadership. The characteristics of godly leadership are sometimes in stark contrast with what culture views. Three areas in particular are highlighted: Personal, Family, and Public.
Text: 1 Timothy 3:1-13
1. How does culture define leadership? What are some of the most popular leadership traits in your line of work? How does those compare to some of the ones that Paul articulates?
2. Personal: God Focuses On Character
Reread the list of character traits in 1 Timothy 3:1-3, 6 and 8.
a.What are the traits you are doing well with? What are the harder traits?
b. How can your rGroup work harder at being hospitable for the sake of the Gospel and lead in that way?
c. Read Matthew 6:24. Why do we struggle with money so much? Why does money tend to be the thing that Jesus chose to address so often? How can money get in the way of strong godly leadership?
3. Family: Leadership Starts At Home
Read 1 Timothy 3:4-5, 11-12
a. Paul said that there is no way he would trust someone with other leadership positions if they weren't leading well in their home. What connection do they have? Why would God be interested in how you lead at home?
b. What are some of the "ministries" that God has entrusted you with in your home? Wife, husband, parents, kids, roommates, neighbors, friends, etc.
4. Outside: Leaders Always Live It Out
Read 1 Timothy 3:7, 9-10.
a. What is the connection with how outsiders see you and how they view Jesus? How they view the Church? How they view Christianity as a whole? Why can't you just live your life the way you want to and let the Bible speak for itself?
b. Read James 1:22. What are areas where your beliefs are high and well informed, but your life and actions are lagging behind? How do you need to step up and be a doer and lead?
Monday, March 2, 2015
Adult Content: His Identity is Better
Summary: Paul addresses how culture views women and various roles and expectations that are placed on them. As the Church, Paul stresses that our identity is not in gender roles or wordly rules and expectations. We then learn what our true identity is in and how we can identify ourselves the way God sees us.
Text: 1 Timothy 2:9-12, 1 Peter 2:9-10.
1. In 1 Tim 2:9-10, Paul lists some expectations that culture has of women that defines their self-worth, role, and identity. What are some spoken and unspoken expectations that our culture has of men and women? What are ways that culture is trying to define and set the identity and worth of people today?
2. In 1 Tim. 2:11-12, Paul mentions that any outside "voices" that may creep into the church may push people away from God instead of twoards Him. The elders of the church have been charged to lead, guide, protect, instruct, and shepherd the church well. What outside voices are trying to have to impact on people today? What outside voices are trying to sway Christians? How can we combat anything that would be contrary to sound biblical doctrine?
3. In 1 Peter 2, Peter gives us a great list of things that make up our true identity in Jesus.
a. Accepted ("Chosen people"). How does it feel to know that God chose YOU?!
b. Valuable ("holy and "belonging to God") How does it shape our self-worth and identity knowing that we belong to God and are valuable to Him?
c. Loved ("People of God") Why does it matter that God's love for you is unconditional, first, no strings attached, and without merit?
d. Forgiven ("you have been shown mercy") How can our identity and future be changed with the realization that you aren't defined by your past or your mistakes?
-Unpack how each of those are important in our lives today. Which one means the most to you?
-What are the opposite of these things, and why would that identity be enslaving for people? Have you ever struggled with some of these as you strive to acheive acceptance and obtain an identity in your life?
Text: 1 Timothy 2:9-12, 1 Peter 2:9-10.
1. In 1 Tim 2:9-10, Paul lists some expectations that culture has of women that defines their self-worth, role, and identity. What are some spoken and unspoken expectations that our culture has of men and women? What are ways that culture is trying to define and set the identity and worth of people today?
2. In 1 Tim. 2:11-12, Paul mentions that any outside "voices" that may creep into the church may push people away from God instead of twoards Him. The elders of the church have been charged to lead, guide, protect, instruct, and shepherd the church well. What outside voices are trying to have to impact on people today? What outside voices are trying to sway Christians? How can we combat anything that would be contrary to sound biblical doctrine?
3. In 1 Peter 2, Peter gives us a great list of things that make up our true identity in Jesus.
a. Accepted ("Chosen people"). How does it feel to know that God chose YOU?!
b. Valuable ("holy and "belonging to God") How does it shape our self-worth and identity knowing that we belong to God and are valuable to Him?
c. Loved ("People of God") Why does it matter that God's love for you is unconditional, first, no strings attached, and without merit?
d. Forgiven ("you have been shown mercy") How can our identity and future be changed with the realization that you aren't defined by your past or your mistakes?
-Unpack how each of those are important in our lives today. Which one means the most to you?
-What are the opposite of these things, and why would that identity be enslaving for people? Have you ever struggled with some of these as you strive to acheive acceptance and obtain an identity in your life?
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Adult Content: Prayer is Better
Summary: Instead of fighting, arguing, trying it on our own, or relying on the power of other things, Paul tells the Church to pray. He tells us who to pray to, as well as 4 things to include in our prayers.
Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-8
1. In vs 1, Paul says prayer is what we are to do FIRST, and he URGES the people to do it. Prayer is easy to do, doesn't cost us any money, and isn't a huge sacrifice of our time or resources. So why is it that so many people struggle to have a strong and effective prayer life? (don't know what to say, don't know how to say it, don't feel comfortable talking to God, don't think it's effective or will change anything).
2. Read 1 Timothy 2:1 and Philippians 4:6. Take a moment and talk about the different aspects of prayer that Scripture calls us to:
a. Supplication (requests, petitions, asking God for things we want or need)
b. Prayer (an idea that the act of prayer is actually worship to God)
c. Intercession (praying for the needs and desires of others)
d. Thanksgiving (thanking God for what He has done for you)
-So what are the easiest aspects of our prayers? What are the hardest? Why do we tend to focus on the first one and neglect the last 3?
3. What you pray FOR reflects what you believe ABOUT God. Examples: Small prayers=small viewpoint of God. Selfish prayers=God exists just for you. All supplications=God is just my heavenly butler. No prayers=God isn't powerful, doesn't work, and can't do anything for me.
So, if your daily prayers were written out and someone read them, what would they say about you and how you viewed God? (This person had a lot of faith and believes that God can do big things, OR this person obviously doesn't believe that God can do too much, not really relying on His power, doesn't really talk with God very much).
4. Read 1 Timothy 2:2 and Matthew 5:43-44. Do you ever pray for your "enemies"? Is prayer your natural response to those that believe/act/speak differently than you? If not, why?
5. When you pray, are you asking God to take you OUT of your circumstances, or asking Him to come INTO your circumstances? How are those 2 different?
6. Hands up is a universal sign of surrender. Have you reached a point in your life where you ever threw your hands up to God and said, "I give up"? How can surrender be such a freeing motion in life? What are some areas of your life that you need to simply raise your hands and surrender it to God?
Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-8
1. In vs 1, Paul says prayer is what we are to do FIRST, and he URGES the people to do it. Prayer is easy to do, doesn't cost us any money, and isn't a huge sacrifice of our time or resources. So why is it that so many people struggle to have a strong and effective prayer life? (don't know what to say, don't know how to say it, don't feel comfortable talking to God, don't think it's effective or will change anything).
2. Read 1 Timothy 2:1 and Philippians 4:6. Take a moment and talk about the different aspects of prayer that Scripture calls us to:
a. Supplication (requests, petitions, asking God for things we want or need)
b. Prayer (an idea that the act of prayer is actually worship to God)
c. Intercession (praying for the needs and desires of others)
d. Thanksgiving (thanking God for what He has done for you)
-So what are the easiest aspects of our prayers? What are the hardest? Why do we tend to focus on the first one and neglect the last 3?
3. What you pray FOR reflects what you believe ABOUT God. Examples: Small prayers=small viewpoint of God. Selfish prayers=God exists just for you. All supplications=God is just my heavenly butler. No prayers=God isn't powerful, doesn't work, and can't do anything for me.
So, if your daily prayers were written out and someone read them, what would they say about you and how you viewed God? (This person had a lot of faith and believes that God can do big things, OR this person obviously doesn't believe that God can do too much, not really relying on His power, doesn't really talk with God very much).
4. Read 1 Timothy 2:2 and Matthew 5:43-44. Do you ever pray for your "enemies"? Is prayer your natural response to those that believe/act/speak differently than you? If not, why?
5. When you pray, are you asking God to take you OUT of your circumstances, or asking Him to come INTO your circumstances? How are those 2 different?
6. Hands up is a universal sign of surrender. Have you reached a point in your life where you ever threw your hands up to God and said, "I give up"? How can surrender be such a freeing motion in life? What are some areas of your life that you need to simply raise your hands and surrender it to God?
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Adult Content: Grace is Better
Summary: Paul's story calls us to remember and respond to the incredible news of the Gospel that has and will continue to change our lives.
Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
1. Understand the Word
READ 1 Timothy 1:12-17
a. Why is it so amazing that someone like Paul could have experienced so much of a transformation and gained God's favor?
b. Vs 12 says that God is using Paul for his service, and vs 16 says God is using Him as an example. Given Paul's story, how mighty God use him in this way?
2. Assessing the Heart
a. Why and how does grace this amazing become something so common and unexciting?
b. It's easy to see that Paul was a sinner, and it's pretty easy to see that we are as well. Paul responds correctly to the sin in his life by openly confessing his sin and guilt and acknowledging that he was in desperate need for a savior. However, many of us don't respond in this way. Instead, we'd rather cover up our sins, pass the blame on to someone or something else, or act like it is not sin at all. What are some specific times in your own life that you've treated your sin in this way?
c. When you treat your sins and your guilt this way, what are your actions effectively communicating to God? (Hint: What are acting like you don't need God as your help and Savior).
3. Turning to God.
a. When we confess our sin and need for help, we are finally communicating that we don't have it all together and that we need help from a savior. It that is true, what's the good news of vs 15?
b. Through Jesus, what MERCY have you been given (not receiving the things we deserve). Hint: not experiencing judgment, punishment, or separation from God.)
c. Through Jesus, what GRACE have you been given (receiving things we don't deserve). Hint: love, forgiveness, freedom, adoption into God's family, hope, joy, and peace.1
4. Apply the Word
a. In what ways could we do a better job being reminded of and remembering this incredibly Good News? In your home? In your rGroup?
b. What kind of differences would be evident in your life, your "service," or your "example" if your heart and mind was daily overflowing in awe and wonder of what Jesus has done in your life?
Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
1. Understand the Word
READ 1 Timothy 1:12-17
a. Why is it so amazing that someone like Paul could have experienced so much of a transformation and gained God's favor?
b. Vs 12 says that God is using Paul for his service, and vs 16 says God is using Him as an example. Given Paul's story, how mighty God use him in this way?
2. Assessing the Heart
a. Why and how does grace this amazing become something so common and unexciting?
b. It's easy to see that Paul was a sinner, and it's pretty easy to see that we are as well. Paul responds correctly to the sin in his life by openly confessing his sin and guilt and acknowledging that he was in desperate need for a savior. However, many of us don't respond in this way. Instead, we'd rather cover up our sins, pass the blame on to someone or something else, or act like it is not sin at all. What are some specific times in your own life that you've treated your sin in this way?
c. When you treat your sins and your guilt this way, what are your actions effectively communicating to God? (Hint: What are acting like you don't need God as your help and Savior).
3. Turning to God.
a. When we confess our sin and need for help, we are finally communicating that we don't have it all together and that we need help from a savior. It that is true, what's the good news of vs 15?
b. Through Jesus, what MERCY have you been given (not receiving the things we deserve). Hint: not experiencing judgment, punishment, or separation from God.)
c. Through Jesus, what GRACE have you been given (receiving things we don't deserve). Hint: love, forgiveness, freedom, adoption into God's family, hope, joy, and peace.1
4. Apply the Word
a. In what ways could we do a better job being reminded of and remembering this incredibly Good News? In your home? In your rGroup?
b. What kind of differences would be evident in your life, your "service," or your "example" if your heart and mind was daily overflowing in awe and wonder of what Jesus has done in your life?
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Adult Content: Jesus is Better
Text: 1 Timothy 1:1-11
Summary: Paul instructs Timothy on responding to false teachers/teachings that he and his church will face. Paul shows us how to identify false teaching, how to respond to it, and what the standard for sound doctrine really is.
1. Identify some of the false teachers in our world today, both inside and outside of the category of religion. What are some of the things you've heard? What are some of the lies that are told? What are ways that the lines are blurred today?
2. There are 6 characteristics that Paul gives of false teachers and false teachings.
-Devote themselves to myths
-Focus on genealogies
-Promote speculation over God
-Vain discussions
-Don't know what they are talking about
-Incredibly confident about things they don't understand
-Take a moment and consider how Jesus is Better than all of these. What do these things offer you, and how does that contrast with what Jesus offers? Which is really better?
-Talk about some things that you've experienced both what culture has to offer and what Jesus has to offer, and you realized that Jesus is better.
3. The greatest message communicated poorly can oftentimes end with bad results. We've all seen the Church clash with people/culture/ideas in a poor way. That tends to always end poorly for the church and it's mission.
a. But how does Jesus respond in the following stories?
-Jesus eats dinner with the tax collectors and hangs out with sinners (Matthew 9:10-13)
-Jesus shows compassion to the prostitute (Luke 7:36-50)
-Jesus challenged the religious people and saved the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)
b. How does Paul tell us to respond in 1 Timothy 1:5?
-With Love, marked by:
i. Pure heart- your motives
ii. Good conscience- earnestly believing that Jesus is better
iii. Sincere Faith- not being a hypocrite about what you're sharing with them
4. Right or Wrong? Good or Bad? True or False? Acceptable or Unacceptable? Beautiful or Ugly? How do you determine these things? We're not talking about superficial, secondary decision in life. We're talking about the fundamentals, the foundation of life, the standard in which you base your life! Where do you find sound doctrine for these things? Read 1 Timothy 1:10-11. Paul says start with Scripture. That's the foundation.
-What are other areas that people gravitate towards when it comes to determining ethics and morals? Examples: What feels right. What I think is right. What is right for me may not necessarily be right for you. What do you think is right?
-Paul says the right question to ask is not "What do you think/feel is right?" Instead, ask "What did Jesus say about it?" and "What does Scripture say about it?" Let those be your foundation.
Summary: Paul instructs Timothy on responding to false teachers/teachings that he and his church will face. Paul shows us how to identify false teaching, how to respond to it, and what the standard for sound doctrine really is.
1. Identify some of the false teachers in our world today, both inside and outside of the category of religion. What are some of the things you've heard? What are some of the lies that are told? What are ways that the lines are blurred today?
2. There are 6 characteristics that Paul gives of false teachers and false teachings.
-Devote themselves to myths
-Focus on genealogies
-Promote speculation over God
-Vain discussions
-Don't know what they are talking about
-Incredibly confident about things they don't understand
-Take a moment and consider how Jesus is Better than all of these. What do these things offer you, and how does that contrast with what Jesus offers? Which is really better?
-Talk about some things that you've experienced both what culture has to offer and what Jesus has to offer, and you realized that Jesus is better.
3. The greatest message communicated poorly can oftentimes end with bad results. We've all seen the Church clash with people/culture/ideas in a poor way. That tends to always end poorly for the church and it's mission.
a. But how does Jesus respond in the following stories?
-Jesus eats dinner with the tax collectors and hangs out with sinners (Matthew 9:10-13)
-Jesus shows compassion to the prostitute (Luke 7:36-50)
-Jesus challenged the religious people and saved the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)
b. How does Paul tell us to respond in 1 Timothy 1:5?
-With Love, marked by:
i. Pure heart- your motives
ii. Good conscience- earnestly believing that Jesus is better
iii. Sincere Faith- not being a hypocrite about what you're sharing with them
4. Right or Wrong? Good or Bad? True or False? Acceptable or Unacceptable? Beautiful or Ugly? How do you determine these things? We're not talking about superficial, secondary decision in life. We're talking about the fundamentals, the foundation of life, the standard in which you base your life! Where do you find sound doctrine for these things? Read 1 Timothy 1:10-11. Paul says start with Scripture. That's the foundation.
-What are other areas that people gravitate towards when it comes to determining ethics and morals? Examples: What feels right. What I think is right. What is right for me may not necessarily be right for you. What do you think is right?
-Paul says the right question to ask is not "What do you think/feel is right?" Instead, ask "What did Jesus say about it?" and "What does Scripture say about it?" Let those be your foundation.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Vision 2015: Obedience
Recap:
God inspires obedience in His people by casting an incredible vision of what He will accomplish through our obedience. We saw in Acts chapters 7 and 9 that God used the obedience of Stephen, Ananias, and the disciples to transform a murderer named Saul into the Apostle known as Paul.
Questions:
-Are there times when your obedience to God is produced out of a misplaced sense of fear? Why is this wrong? (Because Jesus already removed our penalty for disobedience so that is no longer viable option for motivation).
-Are there times when you disobey God? What does this reveal about your relationship with Him?
-What does Saul's conversion experience reveal about how men and women are saved? (Salvation isn't based on human desire. It is based on God's desire and when He decides it's time...it's time. Saul wasn't looking for Jesus, Jesus came for him.)
-What does Saul's transformation process reveal about how men and women are changed? (God does it through the example and leadership of people who already follow Him...in Saul's case he used Stephen, Ananias, and the disciple at Damascus.)
-Do you have story of how God has used your obedience to transform someone else's life?
God inspires obedience in His people by casting an incredible vision of what He will accomplish through our obedience. We saw in Acts chapters 7 and 9 that God used the obedience of Stephen, Ananias, and the disciples to transform a murderer named Saul into the Apostle known as Paul.
Questions:
-Are there times when your obedience to God is produced out of a misplaced sense of fear? Why is this wrong? (Because Jesus already removed our penalty for disobedience so that is no longer viable option for motivation).
-Are there times when you disobey God? What does this reveal about your relationship with Him?
-What does Saul's conversion experience reveal about how men and women are saved? (Salvation isn't based on human desire. It is based on God's desire and when He decides it's time...it's time. Saul wasn't looking for Jesus, Jesus came for him.)
-What does Saul's transformation process reveal about how men and women are changed? (God does it through the example and leadership of people who already follow Him...in Saul's case he used Stephen, Ananias, and the disciple at Damascus.)
-Do you have story of how God has used your obedience to transform someone else's life?
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