LifeGroup Curriculum - June 28, 2009
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Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship
Big Idea:
What does it mean to serve God with faithfulness? In a world that challenges faithful living at every turn, how can believers cultivate and grow in faithfulness to God and to His Kingdom purpose in earth?
Summary:
This weekend we had a guest speaker, Paul Scanlon ministering in our services. Without having his preaching notes from which to prepare these LifeGroup study notes, we are going take this opportunity to focus on the grand and crucial theme of “faithfulness” for our LifeGroup study this week.
Most Christians are familiar with the passage from Psalm 37:4 “God will give you the desire of your heart.” Fewer Christians have applied the first part of that verse (which is the condition of the promise), which says “Delight yourself in the LORD, and…” Even fewer believers are aware of the verse that precedes this great promise, which says: “Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” —Psalm 37:3 (NAS). In our groups this week, let’s seek the Lord and encourage each other around the life giving theme of how to “cultivate faithfulness” in the hostile environment of this fallen world in which we are living out our faith.
We live in a world that is at war against our pursuit of living in faithfulness to God’s life sustaining design for creation. From Genesis to Revelation we see the battle raging. It began in the Garden of Eden, where the serpent lured Adam and Eve away from faithfully serving God’s purpose, and the conflict runs even to the end of history. The scriptures reveal a time yet to be, in the final book of the Bible, where Revelation 16:9 describes fallen Man’s final act as “cursing the name of God…” and “…refusing to repent and glorify Him.”
The big question for us this week is: “How can we ‘dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness’ toward God in the midst of the godless environment in which we live?”
Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)
Read Proverbs 3:3-4 —Embrace love and faithfulness as if your life depended on it.
1. Discuss ways in which we can “bind” ourselves to faithfulness. 2. How does being connected in the local church help us to accomplish this life giving proverb.
Read Matthew 25:14-30
Every believer desires to one day hear the words of verse 21…
“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
1. Discuss the parable in the context of what it means to serve God with faithfulness. 2. How can we invest our talents in our relationships with family, friends, and others who God puts in our path? 3. How can we “faithfully” invest our talents through the church?
Read Revelation 19:11-12
Talk about the battle to live faithful lives in the context of this image we see of Christ in Revelation. Remember 1 John 4:4 in your discussion: “greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.”
Taking Action: During the week, meditate on Proverbs 3:3 and ask the Holy Spirit to give you fresh revelation about ways you can cultivate faithfulness in your life as you dwell upon this earth.
Ministry Time
