Printer friendly copies of curriculum: printer-friendly text version

July 26, 2009 – LifeGroup Curriculum
Epic: a story of rebuilding (part 3) “The Greatest Force on Earth”

Big Picture:
Whenever we seek to build or rebuild the broken places in our lives, the enemy schemes to discourage and destroy our efforts. Because prayer connects us to the living God and his will, prayer becomes the most powerful force in our lives to destroy the schemes of the enemy.

Summary
When Nehemiah heard about the broken walls and burned gates of the city of Jerusalem, he prayed and fasted (Nehemiah 1:3-11). Before attempting to make a difference in his outer world, he began to reestablish his relationship with God and to build his inner world. He prayed for God’s will and for God’s Kingdom to be established. His prayer was established in worship, in the will of God, in communion with God and continued for some time.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures and discuss)
Ephesians 6:18
What does it mean to pray in the Spirit? What different kinds of prayers and requests do you think are being spoken of here? How do we pray differently as individuals and in groups? What does it mean to pray in unity?

Philemon 4-7
How should we pray for each other? How does being active in sharing our faith affect our understanding of every good thing that we have in Christ? How do we refresh the hearts of others?

Jeremiah 15:16
What is our reaction to the words of God? How do we begin to hear God more clearly in his Scriptures and through his Holy Spirit? What other words, voices or noises are we listening to that may be drowning out the words of God?

Psalm 119:130
How does the unfolding of God’s words give light and understanding? How do we pray the words of God? What does it mean to pray the God’s will be done and not our own?

Taking Action:
Pray! Pray as an individual. Pray as couples. Pray as families. Pray as LifeGroups. Pray as a church. Pray regularly. Pray continuously. Pray that his will would be done. Pray in the Spirit. Pray with understanding. Pray and let God worry about it.

Ministry Time

Printer friendly copies of curriculum: printer-friendly text version

July 19, 2009 – LifeGroup Curriculum
Epic: a story of rebuilding (part 2) “Image is Everything”

Big Picture:
Our self-image is formed by three things: relationships, beliefs and our unmet needs. Our self-image should be formed primarily by our relationship with God, our belief in who God says that we are and the fact that all our needs are met in Christ Jesus.

Summary
We tend to have a view of ourselves based upon our culture. We may be told that we are what we do, but our true self-image is based upon who God says we are. We must embrace God’s view of ourselves and reject our tainted view from our culture, wrong beliefs and unmet needs. We build a healthy self-image by seeing who we are in Christ, by making peace with our failures and by distinguishing between our roles and our true self. We are complete in Christ. We are not failures, even when we fail at things. If you do not know who you are, then many people may help you decide incorrectly. Believe who God says that you are and walk in that redeemed identity.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures and discuss)

Romans 12:1-2
How have you been conformed by this world? How does God desire to transform you by the renewing of your mind? What does it mean to be a living sacrifice?

Ephesians 1:11
Who are we in Christ? List some attributes of our new nature. What are we living for? How has God called us to live? What are our goals as Christians?

Colossians 2:10
What does it mean to be complete in Christ? How has he met all of our formerly unmet needs? Why do we continue to seek inappropriate ways to meet those needs?

2 Corinthians 5:17
What does it mean that we are a new creation; the old ha gone, the new has come?

Taking Action:
How do we make this practical in our lives? How do we walk as new creations? How do we walk as those who have been brought from death to life, as members of a new kingdom? Meditate on who the Scriptures say that you are. Memorize the Scriptures that reveal your new identity in Christ. Allow yourself to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Be who God says that you are.

Ministry Time

Printer friendly copies of curriculum: printer friendly version

Big Picture:
Life is full of challenges.  To encounter trouble is intrinsic to living in a fallen world.  The Bible does not make promises for a trouble free life; we are however, promised God’s faithfulness to deliver us from the trouble we encounter.  As the Psalmist says, “a righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”  —Psalm 34:19

SUMMARY
Last weekend we began a series in the book of Nehemiah.  This book is an epic story of loyalty and treachery, of vision and opposition, of hope and despair.  Ultimately, it is the story of rebuilding in the aftermath of destruction— something we can all relate to in one way or another. 

Pastor Terry’s message last week was titled The Trouble with Rubble.  That phrase brings back the indelible image of the President of the United States standing on top of the pile of rubble that was once the World Trade Center, with a bullhorn in hand, proclaiming that we would overcome this horrific tragedy together.  Nehemiah faced a similar condition 2500 years earlier when the Hebrew exiles returned to Jerusalem to a city ravaged by fire, and its defensive walls torn down.  At an individual level, if we are honest with ourselves, we know that we too have areas of rubble in our lives, broken places that have yet to be rebuilt.  These areas have been fully redeemed for the believer in Jesus, but full restoration is a process of surrender and faith.  God’s plan is to restore what He has already redeemed.  He wants to give us what has been provided for us in Christ.

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Proverbs 24:16
Read the passage of scripture and talk about the contrast presented here, between facing trouble with the hope that the righteous possess or facing it in the hopelessness of those who do not know Christ.  Talk about Pastor Terry’s fourth point that “The trouble with rubble is that it will define us unless we define it.”

Psalm 34: 17-20
Read this Psalm and have a few people in the group share examples of how God has demonstrated this passage in their own personal experience.

Isaiah 43: 1-2
Discuss how this passage is not promising that we will not encounter adversity (waters, rivers, and flames) but rather how God will be near to deliver in the midst of the problems we face.  

1 Peter 5: 6-8
Talk about practical ways we can “cast our cares” upon Jesus.

Taking Action:
Consider the first point from the message last week: The trouble with rubble is that it is painful to look at.”  The point was to not be in denial about the “rubble” in our lives.  Read the statement below from the sermon, and then commit yourself to spend time in prayer this week to seek God’s wisdom and guidance related to taking action to rebuild the broken place you have identified.
“The problem with ignoring the broken places of our lives is….God can’t heal what you won’t reveal.  Identifying the broken places helps us see what areas we need to submit to the grace of God.  Grace does not work in the realm of denial.” –Pastor Terry

 Ministry Time

Printer friendly copies of curriculum: printer-friendly text version

Opening Prayer, Confession of Faith & Worship
 
BIG IDEA:
Freedom is never free.  It always costs somebody something.

SUMMARY:
Last Saturday, July 4, Americans celebrated Independence Day!  It is a holiday that most countries celebrate in one fashion or another.  To the South, Mexico celebrates their “cry of independence” from Spain each year on the night of September 15. A better known Mexican holiday to Arizonans is the celebration of Cinco de Mayo, or “fifth of May,” which commemorates their 1862 victory over the French Empire.  National freedom has always come at the price of many lives surrendered for the sake of others.  The same is true of our freedom from sin, which we are offered at the highest cost, as the scriptures explain, that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  And even our freedom from our own worldly selves requires a laying down of the old  nature, a dying to ourselves, in order to embrace our new life in Christ.  As Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-25

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”

Discussion Questions: (read the scriptures & discuss)

Read John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Take time in your group to give thanks for those who have laid down their lives to provide the freedom we enjoy, and let’s pray for the men and women who are currently serving in our defense, from the soldier overseas to our local police officers and firefighters.  

Read 1 Peter 1:18-19 & 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Let’s recognize once again the great sacrifice Jesus made to provide us with freedom from our sins.  This may be a good week to celebrate the Lord’s Table together as you remember and give thanks for Christ’s sacrifice.  If you do not have the elements of communion with you, then celebrate it in your hearts as you read these scriptures and remember and give thanks for the great price Jesus paid for our freedom.

Read 1 John 3:16 & 1 Corinthians 4:10-12

Discuss what laying our lives down for others looks like.  How do we do that in our homes.  How do we do that in our daily lives.  How can we express the life of Jesus in and through our Church family. 

Taking Action: 

At the end of each day this week, sometime before you go to bed, make a point to ask God in prayer to reveal to you ways that you did, or could have, laid down your life for Jesus and for others in the day you just lived.  Then ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you rest up before another day, where God’s mercies will greet you full on in the morning.  Sleep well!

Ministry Time