A SEASON OF CHANGE
Part 1 of 4
When your life takes a sudden turn 

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship (optional)

The Big Idea:
God didn’t promise us a happy-go-lucky life filled with certainty.  Change happens and sometimes it comes at us when we least expect it or want it. So what are you going to do about it? How we respond to change and the trials of life matters greatly.

Summary:
Life is never a guarantee. We can’t manage it, control it, or bank on it. Yes, life has joy, but life can also come at us fast with unexplainable and unfair hardships. Take for instance the thousands of people who lost nearly everything, including their homes, in the recent California fires. Was this part of their plans or did their lives experience a sudden turn? Be assured that God isn’t in a hurry.  God isn’t surprised by the sudden turns of life.  He knows about every page in the book of your life.  And we are never victims.  God has a plan. He dwells in eternity, but he has a perfect sense of timing. However, we sometimes get so stuck in the moment that we can’t see eternity, even when eternity is yelling at us. We must have a Kingdom perspective that will allow us to see the big picture and the forest through the trees. Yes, God’s plans for us can take sudden and unexpected turns.  Sometimes it even feels like God is interrupting our lives and disrupting our sense of stability.  But, could it be that he is knocking us out of our ruts? Sudden changes are an opportunity for growth and ultimately for God to be glorified. So, don’t run, hide, whine, or get angry and bitter when life takes that sudden turn. Rather, look at the unexpected turns of life as opportunities for us to trust God and face life head-on. This is our chance to win the battle by persevering, maturing, and allowing God’s plan to be completed. 

Discussion Questions: (read the scripture & discuss)

Romans 8:28
Does this mean that everything that happens to us will be good? Do you have some examples in your life that didn’t initially look like God was involved, but turned out good and for the glory of God?

Philippians 4:10-13
Was Paul only content and able to praise God when things were going great? Why can Paul so confidently state that he can handle all situations? What are we doing to ensure that our response to adversity will be like Paul’s?

James 1:2-8
Do you experience joy in the midst of trials and sudden changes? Present examples of trials in your life that have been used to mature you.

Taking Action: Spend some time this week writing down trials from your past that God has used to mature and perfect you. Are there any trials or sudden changes in your life right now? Based on this study, how should you respond?

Ministry Time

The Goodness of God

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship (optional)

The Big Idea:
When Jesus came he preached that the Kingdom of God is now! That’s right - not sometime in the distant future, but today. And it is good. Don’t allow yourself to miss out on this reality.

Summary:
When Jesus began His ministry by preaching “the Kingdom of God is here!” it shocked the religious community to the core. His message concerning the present reality of the Kingdom was in direct conflict with their “postponement theology” - all the good stuff of God was yet to come. In a world characterized by hopelessness and despair, Jesus forced them to face an alternate reality. He revealed the goodness of God to them by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, delivering the oppressed, raising the dead and conquering sin. And He did it at that moment, not somewhere out in the future! God could have started all over when man sinned against him. It is only the goodness of God that keeps God engaged with humanity. When a god of lesser goodness would have destroyed it all and began again, or at least abandoned it to its own rebellion, God did neither of those things. He has stayed engaged with humanity in spite of our stubbornness, in spite of our selfishness, in spite of our negligence, in spite of our own self-sufficiency. God continues to engage us, simply because He is a good Father who desires to give good gifts to His children. Do you believe this? Do you believe Jesus is alive today and that his goodness endures forever? Do you live your life based on this truth? Is the Kingdom of God alive in your world or are you still waiting for the goodness of God to come? Stop living for tomorrow, stop living for yourself, and instead live for God. Live in his reality and experience the good God who gives, forgives, heals, restores, cares, satisfies, and empowers.

Discussion Questions: (read the scripture & discuss)

Matthew 7:7-11
Discuss your responses to this passage about God’s goodness. What kind of good gifts do think Jesus is referencing? Give examples.

Psalm 103:1-5
Identify seven signs of God’s goodness from these passages. Present to the group a “real life” example of his goodness in your life.

Romans 5:15-17
What is the ultimate expression and result of God’s goodness? How does this affect the way we live life? What does this mean to you?

Taking Action: (1) Spend some time this week meditating on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7) and seriously examine your life. (2) Are you living in the reality of the Kingdom or the reality of this world? (3) Focus on God’s goodness and expect all that he has made available to you through the cross as you surrender your life and live in Christ Jesus. (4) Using the passage in Psalm 103:1-5, compile a list of God’s goodness made real in your life.

Ministry Time

Heart for Others
Part 3 of 3
The Heart of God

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship (optional)

The Big Idea:
We are called to engage the world. Our lives should naturally be all about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. But, too often we can become complacent or lose our awe of him who saved us. How do we prevent this?

Summary:
God loves people. Jesus demonstrated this when he interacted with the Samaritan woman at the well. Although she was supposedly below his social class, he introduced her to the living water, himself, and she believed. The disciples were shocked that he would associate with such a person. But the story continues. Who ended up bringing the people out to meet the savior of the world? Was it the disciples who daily walked with Jesus? No, surprisingly the disciples didn’t tell the good news to anyone in her town; rather, it was the Samaritan woman who had just encountered Jesus and was full of awe and excitement that enthusiastically ran into the village and led them out to meet Jesus. We must never allow Jesus to be old news either in our hearts or our minds. We must never lose our awe and amazement for who he is and what he has done for us. We must never allow ourselves to silently walk through life, not telling others the good news and introducing them to Christ. We must deeply love both God and people. This love will cause us to act like the Samaritan woman and enthusiastically proclaim the good news. We need to also keep our relationship with God fresh and daily have our meeting with Jesus at the well.

Discussion Questions: (read the scripture & discuss)

First, read John 4:1-42 and discuss this encounter.

Jeremiah 17:5-8
Where should we put our trust? What is the result of trusting God? Discuss some practical ways you can trust God instead of yourself or this world.

Psalm 1:1-3
What does the Psalmist declare is a habit of the blessed man?  What is a result of meditating on God’s Word? Discuss some ideas on how this can be implemented in your life?

John 15:5-6 & 9-11
What does Jesus say is the result of remaining in him-living at the “well”? What role does obedience play? Discuss some things in your life that have helped you remain in him or have kept you at the “well” instead of in the world.  

Taking Action: Present some other things that you can do that will help keep your relationship with God fresh. Identify one or two areas of life-change that will keep you at the “well” and then implement them this week. Start tomorrow out with a fresh sip of the Living Water.

Ministry Time

Heart for Others
Part 2 of 3
Luke Chapter 15 (guest speaker, Reggie McNeal)

Opening Prayer & Confession of Faith

Worship (optional)

The Big Idea:
Heaven throws a big party when one sinner repents, so Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He was a friend of sinners. Are you?

Summary:
Jesus said that it is the sick who need a doctor not those who are already healthy. In the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son we see a general theme that the Father in Heaven rejoices greatly over the lost one who repents and comes to him. Jesus exemplified how we reach the lost by seeking them out, welcoming them, eating with them, and encouraging them to live for God. He didn’t ignore them or shun them, but instead he made sure he was intentionally encountering them. How will we be able to lead people to Christ and share his gospel if we are not part of their lives? How will people see Christ in us if we hide from them? Don’t “hide it under a bushel;” rather, make it a point to encounter and befriend those who are lost and who are in desperate need of Christ. Get the party started in heaven by being Christ in a lost world; for there will be much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents. 

Discussion Questions: (read the scripture & discuss)

First, read Luke chapter 15 in its entirety.

Luke 15:7 & 10
Why was their much rejoicing in heaven and what specific action took place to cause this rejoicing?

Luke 15:17-21
How did the son’s thinking change prior to returning to his father? How did the son exhibit repentance?

Luke 15:20-24
What was the reaction of the father to the son’s returning? How might this demonstration of love encourage us to befriend and share the Good News with the lost?

John 17:12-30
Where did Jesus send his disciples?  What can we learn from this prayer that Jesus prayed?

Taking Action: Take inventory of your relationships. Do you intentionally spend time with un-believers? Challenge yourself to purposefully befriend someone who is lost in order to show the love of Christ to them in real and genuine ways.

Ministry Time

Additional Resources: on sharing your faith (Called to Fish, What’s in Your Tackle Box, Harvest Time) and repentance.

Heart for Others
Part 1 of 3
unChristian (guest speaker, David Kinnaman)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship (optional)

The Big Idea:
The Great Commission and the Great Commandment make up the core of what it means to follow Christ. What does it mean to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; AND to ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Summary:
There are over a thousand passages in scripture that refer to caring for the needs of others. The secret to loving others is not found in religion or rules but in compassion and kindness. But how do we gain compassion for others who are not like us? How do we follow the great commandment to love our neighbor and to embody the true love that Christ has for them? The fact is that whatever Jesus is going to do through this community He is going to do through His church. How do we begin to repaint the picture of Christ followers in the eyes of our neighbors, community, and the world, to the truth of who Christ called us to be?

Discussion Questions: (read the scripture & discuss)

Luke 10:25-37
What are all the different things that the Samaritan gave to the man? In this passage, Christ asks, “Who was this man’s neighbor?”, this man was not literally the man that lived next door to the Samaritan, but what was Christ point about “Love your neighbor”?
If this story was retold today by Jesus, in the Valley of the Sun, who would represent the Priest and the Levite? Knowing that Samaritan’s were the most despised people of the time, who would be the Samaritan in today’s setting? Which of these three people responded most like Jesus?
If “today’s Samaritan” was lying on the side of the road, what would we do?
What was Jesus’ final statement at the end of the parable?

Matthew 25:31-46
How does this change your view of caring and serving others?

Sermon Related Questions:
What statements struck you from the statistics shown in service regarding the perceptions of the UN-Christian?
What draws you to the message of Jesus and is that the message your life portrays?
What does it mean to love someone with an “agenda”? Is trying to convert someone to your religious beliefs an agenda? Do you think it is possible to bully/scare someone into believing in Jesus? Is this wrong?

Taking Action: Make it a point to look for opportunities to love others this week. Have you engaged in a Heart for Others outreach project? If not, email barbarar@wordofgrace.org and make a difference in your community.

Ministry Time