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GO BIG OR GO HOME!
(Passion for God)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship (optional)

Big Idea:
Do you have a passion for God? Here’s another way to ask this question: “Is God your first love?” A “big” passion for God means that every fiber of our being is drawn to God and given to God.

Summary:
Passion is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction; a strong liking, desire for, or devotion; ardent affection; love. How does Jesus portray a passion for God? He said that the most important thing we can do is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” – Mark 12:30. What does Jesus really mean when he uses the word “all”? Why does he say all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength? 

Jesus is laying out what God really desires and requires of us - total devotion. He wants every part of our lives to be completely His. Not just our minds; not just our bodies; not just our hearts; but all of us. He expects to have our whole being. Does He have our whole mind when we are filling it with worthless knowledge, facts, or worldly filth? Does He have our whole heart when we still have concern for ourselves; when our own comfort, reputation, happiness, and pleasure are still of importance to us? Does He have our whole soul when we are filling it with lust, anger, and jealousy? The love of God and His passion for us demands our everything: our souls, our lives, and our all. 

Where does this kind of passion for God come from? It comes from an understanding of who He is, what He has done for us, and the reality of His overwhelming passionate love for us. This kind of comprehension of the love of Christ will lead to an unwavering devotion to him. It will cause the pleasure offered by sin and this world to be shown in its true light – empty and vain promises compared to the eternal satisfaction offered by God. It will drive us to willingly surrender all to the One who gave us His all.  

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

Psalm 42:1, Psalm 63:1-3 & Psalm 73:25-26
Discuss the passion for God depicted by David in these passages. Are we living daily with this kind of passion? If not, why?

Mark 10:17-29
Why did he walk away sad? Are we like the Rich Young Ruler? What things are we holding onto that might be killing our passion and intimacy with God? What can be the result of never letting go and never loving God with our everything?

Philippians 3:7-14
Paul is showing some passion for God in this passage. What is Paul’s focus and what drives him? Paul’s passion is not passive, but active. How can we live out an active passion for God? Where do we get the ability to do this?

Taking Action: Go big with a passion for God. Examine your life and ask God to reveal anything that might be hindering your passion or intimacy with Him. Write down your findings and then daily submit them to God in prayer. Cooperate with God as His passion ignites your passion.

Ministry Time

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BELIEVE
(The Resurrected Jesus)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship

Big Idea:
Who is Jesus? Was he a prophet, a really talented teacher, a miracle worker, a myth, or is He the Son of God; the Savior of the world who conquered sin and death through his life, death, and resurrection?  How you answer this question and what you personally believe will change your life forever.

Summary:
For Jesus to be the Savior of the world, the crucifixion and the resurrection must both be true. Without the resurrection everything is meaningless. A dead savior cannot save anyone. But, physical, historical, and biblical evidence overwhelmingly prove and substantiate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection is monumental because at this moment Christ conquered sin and death. And those who wholeheartedly, by faith, put their trust in Him and follow Him will experience the same victory over sin and death. Just like Jesus is alive, we too become alive again and the old ways of thinking and acting change for the glory of God. The resurrection is powerful and as Christians we can, and must, take hold of this transforming power that compels us to passionately love God and love others which results in restored relationships, forgiveness, freedom from addiction, obedience, humility, and ultimately the glory of God.  The death and resurrection of Christ has changed everything. Jesus is alive! He is alive in history and in the hearts of millions around the world. People’s lives are being changed. Those who once were hopeless, afraid, addicted, confused, and powerless have become people of purpose and victory because they have accepted the free gift of salvation that is offered by the resurrected Christ. Is this your story? Is this your reality? It can be today. 

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Who were some of the witnesses to Christ’s resurrection? Were the numbers limited or numerous? This, along with much more proof, indicates a faith that is not blind.

Romans 6:1-10
As Christians, what affect does the resurrection of Christ have in our lives?
What does it mean to be united with Christ in his resurrection?
Is the idea of being dead to sin in this section talking about sin no longer determining our destiny or sin no longer controlling our behavior, or what?

Romans 6:11-14
Does your life bear witness to this passage? Have you been freed from sin? In what respect?
How might you go about not letting sin reign in and through your physical body? 

Taking Action: Examine your life this week – your thoughts, behavior, fruit, and relationships. Are you experiencing victory? Wholly submit to Christ and apply His resurrection to your life. Like David, ask God to create in you a clean heart and allow the change to begin. Believe.

Ministry Time

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WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR
(Heart for the World)

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship

Big Idea:
Most of us would say we love God. But, do we also love our neighbor? Before we answer yes to this question, it is important to understand Jesus’ definition of a neighbor, exactly who He demands we love, and what that love looks like.

Summary:
What matters most? Jesus says it is loving God and loving our neighbor. He helps us understand what loving God looks like by telling us that “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” What about loving our neighbors? When Jesus demands that we love our “neighbor” it is clear that He is speaking about more than just those who live on your block. After all, if “your neighbor” is defined as “your friends”, then just about all of us would pass the test with flying colors. However, according to the definition Jesus gives in the story of the “Good Samaritan”, your neighbor may be someone you don’t even know. He may be someone who is unfriendly and unlovely and unable to repay you for your kindness. He may be someone who requires your time, money, and effort. The parable of the “Good Samaritan” makes it obvious that your neighbor is really anyone whose need you see and are able to meet. God demonstrated His love for people by sending them His only Son. Does God love people? Look to the cross and you will clearly see the answer is an emphatic and undeniable YES! Similarly, God calls us to die to self, lay down our rights, and love people. Like Christ, we are called to demonstrate our love for others in real ways. Love is not just a thought or a good intention. Rather, love is only love when it is put into action. So, do you love your neighbor? Do you love people? How about your enemies? There is nothing in the universe that matters more to God than people and as followers of Christ we must have this same passion and active love for people – all people.

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

Luke 10:25-35
Why did the priest and Levite pass by? How and why do we pass by people today? Why is it significant that the person who finally helped was a Samaritan? How does this help us understand God’s definition of “neighbor”? 

Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus goes a step further in this passage with his demand to love others. What is the result of not loving all people including our enemies? How can we love our enemies?

1 John 4:7-21
What is love? What does a lack of real love for people indicate about our hearts and our spiritual condition? Pray for God to change our hearts and to give us hearts for others – hearts for the world. 

Taking Action: Think of a person you know who is in need. What tends to keep you from being compassionate to this person and showing them love? Put your faith into action and be a Good Samaritan to this person. Share the results with your LifeGroup next week.

Ministry Time

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GOING GLOBAL
(Heart for the World)

Big Idea:
God’s heart is for the world. Do our hearts reflect the heart of God or, like Jonah, do we decide to go our own way?

Summary:
“For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His one and only Son.” God’s heart is global and he has called us to be global by commissioning His followers to carry out the most important task of sharing His message of salvation through Jesus Christ to all nations. But, are we willing to go global and fulfill this great commission? Let’s take a look at what can happen if we say no to this high calling by examining the story of Jonah. Thousands of years ago, God asked a man named Jonah to go global. But, Jonah wasn’t willing to share God’s message of repentance and salvation to anyone outside of his own people group – especially not to his enemies. Jonah ignored God and then disobeyed Him by going the opposite direction. Finally, after a near drowning and an encounter with a big fish, he reluctantly delivered the message. However, his heart was still not global and still not the heart of God. Jonah liked God’s blessings and forgiveness when it was in his favor to the point where his self-centeredness and self-righteousness caused him to be more concerned for a mere plant, and his own comfort, than for the souls of an entire city. Instead of obeying God’s directions, Jonah went his own direction. Don’t let Jonah’s story be your story. Remember, we are all called to go global with the good news of Christ. For some of us the global call is to our own family, neighborhood, or city. For others, the global call is to a foreign country on the other side of the globe. Bottom line, the call has been clearly made so let’s GO!

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

Jonah 1:1-3
Discuss things God wants us to do both individually and as God’s people that we haven’t done. What kind of things can happen in our lives if we don’t go God’s direction? Discuss.

Jonah 4:5-11
What are the “shady plants” (the temporary pleasures and perceived “needs”) in your life? How do you keep your focus off the “shady plants” and instead direct your concern to knowing, loving, and sharing Christ? Give examples of how we can improperly elevate the blessings that God has given us to enjoy, above God himself. How do we prevent this from happening?

Matthew 28:16-20
Why should we not be afraid to live out the great commission and go global? Where is Jesus when we follow God’s heart and go to the nations with His gospel?

Taking Action: Individually, determine two things you are willing to give up for the sake of others knowing Jesus? Share with the group. Next week, ask each other for progress reports and testimonies.

Ministry Time

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THE HEART OF A SERVANT

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship

Big Idea:
Are you a follower of Christ? Then you are called to serve – not to be served. A follower of Christ will have a servant’s heart and live a servant’s life.

Summary:
Having a servant’s heart isn’t optional. Rather, it’s mandatory for those who will live eternally in God’s Kingdom. So, understanding and developing a servant’s heart is a must. Christ displayed the ultimate act of servanthood when He humbled Himself, became a man, and obediently laid down His life in order that others might be reconciled to God. Christians are called to be like Christ. And like Christ, we must lay down our lives for others. We must be servants. We must “take on the very nature of servants.” So, what does that look like? Servanthood is not a state-of-mind or simply the desire to help others. It really comes down to daily laying down your life in service to God and to others instead of looking out for number one – yourself. When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples he showed us that a mere profession of discipleship does not make us a disciple and guarantee us a place in the Kingdom; it is loving service and true humility that is real greatness. Here’s the beauty of God’s economy; He is not asking the impossible because His all-powerful grace gives us all we need to live the life of a servant. “When we realize that Christ has served us to the end of our meanness, our selfishness, and sin, nothing that we meet with from others can exhaust our determination to serve men for His sake.” – O. Chambers

Discussion Questions: (read the Scripture & discuss)

Matthew 20: 25-28
Discuss how Jesus contrasts the ways of this world with God’s Kingdom. Jesus exemplifies a servant leader. Share about someone you know personally who has chosen a lifestyle of servanthood.

Matthew 25:31-46
How important is this to God? Is a servant’s heart simply a state-of-mind or some good intentions? Discuss how this can be lived out.

John 13:1-17
It was the custom for the lowly to wash the feet of guests. Yet, the Master washed the feet of His disciples. Jesus didn’t just pray for them. Instead, He got on His knees and got dirty. How does this passage challenge you? How are you serving those who are less fortunate than you? Do you live each day as a servant or as a master?   

Taking Action: Take inventory of your life. Who are you truly serving: God, others, or yourself? Write down one way you can serve your family, your church, and also someone else in need this month – then do it. Share with your group (this week or next) and hold each other accountable.

Ministry Time