The Bible for Grown-Ups | Week 1
Week 1 The Bible for Grown-Ups
INTRODUCTION
Most of us know some Bible stories, but very few of us know the story of the Bible. And you may be surprised to discover it’s a story that doesn’t actually begin in the beginning. It begins with the accounts of a few men who sat down to record the death and resurrection of Jesus. It begins with the words of his followers, who were compelled to document the events that had changed everything for them—because they knew it could change everything for us.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
If you had the chance to read the personal journal of someone whose life has influenced yours, who would you choose? Why would their stories and ideas be meaningful to you?
How were you first introduced to the Bible? What people and ideas do you associate with that time?
Luke was a first-century Greek doctor who documented the life of Jesus.
Read Luke 1:1–4.
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Why do you think it was unusual in ancient times for many people to write about an event?
How does Luke describe his purpose in documenting Jesus’ life?
4. It’s possible you or someone you know left your faith because of something in the Bible. What is the “it” that you or they didn’t believe?
Read John 20:30–31 to find out the only “it” that really matters.
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
How does John describe his purpose for writing?
What do you think John meant by “have life in his name”?
5. If John’s account of Jesus’ life was all you had, what would change about how you approach Jesus and encourage others to move toward him?
MOVING FORWARD
Many of us carried our childhood understanding of the Bible into adulthood. Faced with questions we couldn’t answer and doubts we couldn’t ignore, we walked away. If that’s your story, there’s another approach—one that John offers in his personal account of the life of Jesus. And if this account were all we had, it would be enough. This week, approach your faith in a new way by reading John’s account of Jesus’s life as though it was the only Scripture you had.
How to Get What You Really Want | Week 4
Week 4 - Thinking It Through
INTRODUCTION
What you naturally want is often in conflict with what you ultimately value. But your heavenly Father knows what you need. He wants for you what you want. So, how do you put aside those natural wants and pursue what you ultimately value?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Did you have a chance to work through the eulogy exercise Pastor talked about last week? If so, what did you discover?
During the week’s message, Pastor said, “The kingdom of this world is designed to distract you from what really matters, and our culture is fascinated with upgrades and experiences.”
In what ways has your quest for upgrades or experiences distracted you from what you’ve determined really matters?
Do you think your parents’ generation had an easier time focusing on what they valued versus what they merely wanted? How did this play out in your family of origin?
Read Hebrews 11:24–26
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
5. Moses was able to distinguish between what he wanted and what he valued. What is the relationship between the “fleeting pleasure of sin,” “greater value,” and “looking ahead”? How did Moses overcome the temptation to opt for immediate over ultimate?
Read Romans 12:1–2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
6. Does the idea that God’s will can be characterized as “good, pleasing, and perfect” strike you as odd? Why or why not?
7. Has there ever been a time when you would have characterized God’s will as threatening, unfulfilling, and insensitive to the way you are wired? If so, what changed your mind about God?
MOVING FORWARD
The kingdom of this world won’t provide you with what you really want. It will distract you from what really matters. It will rob you of what you value. What you were created for is connected to who you were created by. The way to get what you really want is to surrender to your heavenly Father and renew your mind.
CHANGING YOUR MIND
Read Hebrews 11:24–26
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasure of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward.
How to Get What You Really Want | Week 3
Week 3 - Last Things First
INTRODUCTION
What do you want? What do you really want? We’ll never get what we really want until we discover what is most valuable. And what we naturally want is often in conflict with what we ultimately value. So, to figure out what you really want, you have to figure out what you value.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
When Pastor was reading through the funeral exercise from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, what came to mind?
Have you worked through this exercise before or a similar one?
What themes surface when you think about what you want to be said at your funeral by the people you love and respect the most?
In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey wrote, “If you carefully considered what you wanted to be said of you in the funeral experience, you will find your definition of success.” Based on this observation, what is success for you?
Read Galatians 5:22–23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Which of these virtues parallels or reflects what you want people to say about you at your funeral?
Which fruits of the Spirit do you worry might interfere with your personal and professional goals? Is there an actual conflict?
Respond to this statement Pastor made toward the end of his message: “What you really want and what God really wants for you may be closer than you imagine.
“Does this come as a surprise?
If this is true, what are the implications?
MOVING FORWARD
Pastor closed the message by saying, “When we discover what we really value, we are less prone to settle for what we merely want.”
Is there a conflict between what you actually value and what you are currently pursuing?
Is there a conflict between your values and your behavior?
CHANGING YOUR MIND
Read Galatians 5:25–26
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying each other.
How to Get What You Really Want | Week 2
Week 2 - Don’t Be Deceived
INTRODUCTION
We’ll never get what we really want until we discover what is most valuable. But choosing what’s valuable doesn’t come naturally. We’ve all had the experience of getting what we naturally want only to discover it’s not what is most valuable—it’s not what we ultimately want. But how do we avoid being deceived by our short-term desires?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read Romans 7:15–19
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
Growing up, how was the internal battle between right and wrong explained to you? What terms did your parents use to describe the internal conflict?
How do you define the internal conflict now? What terms do you use as an adult?
During the message, the Pastor said, “We’ve all gotten what we naturally wanted and ended up with the very thing we didn’t ultimately want.”
Does anything come to mind?
What are some reasons it’s difficult for us to prioritize what we really want ahead of our immediate desires?
Read James 1:14
but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
Describe a time when you were dragged away by desire.
It’s obvious what we are dragged toward, but what were you dragged away from?
Read James 1:15
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Have you ever had a dream relationship or opportunity die because you were dragged away by something you wanted?
MOVING FORWARD
What we naturally want is rarely what we ultimately want. Commit as a group to answer the questions the Pastor posed at the end of the message:
1. What do I really want?
2. What’s dragging me away?
3. How long do I plan to let what I naturally want to drag me away from what I ultimately want?
CHANGING YOUR MIND
Read James 1:15–16
Then after desire has conceived it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full grown gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived my dear brothers and sisters.
How to Get What You Really Want | Week 1
Week 1- Careful What You Want For
INTRODUCTION
We all have wants. Life can feel like a constant pursuit of those wants. We want to do what we want to do. We want constant pleasure. And we want what we want now. But actually, getting what we want can be tricky . . . and even dangerous. Usually, this leaves us wanting more. If what we want leads to a cycle of wanting more and more, maybe we want the wrong things.
So, what do you want?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
During the message, Pastor asked the question, “What do you want?” What came to mind?
Talk about a time when you had a seemingly innocent want give birth to a sin, a habit, or regret.
Where are you potentially getting in your own way of achieving what you really want?
Have you ever pursued something you wanted that conflicted with something you valued?
What do you really want? What do you value? Which is most important to you?
MOVING FORWARD
Lurking in the shadows of what we want is what we value. You’ll never get what you really want until you discover what you really value. Jesus challenged all our assumptions about what is valuable and what is not. He pointed us toward a different kind of wanting. If you follow him, you’ll pursue what is of greatest value.
CHANGING YOUR MIND
Read James 4:2b–3
You covet, but cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
How Not to Be Your Own Worst Enemy | Week 3
Week 3 How not to be Your Own Worst Enemy
Discussion Guide - Listen
It can be easy to see someone else self-destruct and think to ourselves, "I would never do that." But truth be told, we're all capable of ending up where we don't want to be. Even Solomon's son—the heir to the throne of Israel—blatantly ignored a principle that we should all pay close attention to.
Discussion Questions
What is one topic for which you feel confident giving advice on, (field of expertise, a hobby, relational)?
Is there a category of people you have a hard time taking advice from? If so, why?
Can you think of a time when you discounted good advice because of the source?
Read 1 Kings 12:1–19, where Rehoboam (Solomon's son) begins his reign as Israel's king. He does so in the wake of King Solomon forcing labor in order to accomplish multiple building projects.
Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. 3 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: 4 "Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you."
5 Rehoboam answered, "Go away for three days and then come back to me." So the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. "How would you advise me to answer these people?" he asked.
7 They replied, "If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants."
8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9 He asked them, "What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, 'Lighten the yoke your father put on us'?"
10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, "These people have said to you, 'Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.' Now tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. 11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.'"
12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, "Come back to me in three days." 13 The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, 14 he followed the advice of the young men and said, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions." 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king:
"What share do we have in David,
what part in Jesse's son?
To your tents, Israel!
Look after your own house, David!"
So the Israelites went home. 17 But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them.
18 King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
How familiar are you with this story?
What stands out to you as you read this account?
What are some good decisions Rehoboam made?
What are some poor ones?
What are some principles we can learn from Rehoboam's mistakes?
We're all prone to lean on our own understanding. Who else should you be inviting into your decision-making circle?
Which of these makes it difficult for you to ask, What would you do if you were in my shoes?
You already know what they're going to say.
It's nobody's business.
Success is intoxicating: You don't need anybody's advice.
Changing Your Mind
Find someone who has nothing to gain and nothing to lose by telling you the truth. Are you willing to make the following commitment? I will not automatically discount advice based on the source of the advice.
How Not to Be Your Own Worst Enemy | Week 2
How not to be Your Own Worst Enemy
Discussion Guide - Pay Attention to Your Narratives
We can talk ourselves into anything. Our internal narratives justify our beliefs as well as our actions. But, when those narratives are not true, they lead to destructive thoughts and behaviors. We can choose to carry around false but comfortable narratives—or we can look to destroy them.
Discussion Questions
Did you grow up with a narrative you had to correct later in life? Was it related to one of these? Or something else?
Money • A Class of People • Religion • Education
What destructive narratives do you catch yourself leaning into now? Where did they come from?
How did you discover that a narrative you have may be flawed? Has someone confronted you with it?
Read Matthew 7:24–29
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
What stands out to you?
Read verse 26 again:
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
What key words stand out and why?
Read 2 Corinthians 10:5–6
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
Notice the aggressive language Paul uses regarding how we should treat the false narratives we tell ourselves.
How aggressive are you at uncovering and looking to demolish your false narratives?
Name one narrative or argument you need to demolish. How does it contrast with the invitation to follow Jesus?
How would your life change if you changed the narrative you just mentioned?
Changing Your Mind
False narratives can’t be dealt with mildly. According to the apostle Paul, they must be attacked. We should be ready to react swiftly and strategically when old narratives resurrect themselves. Are you willing to make the following commitment? I will demolish every internal narrative that conflicts with the value system introduced by Jesus.
How Not to Be Your Own Worst Enemy | Week 1
How not to be Your Own Worst Enemy
Discussion Guide - Pay Attention!
Have you ever met anyone who was their own worst enemy? Someone who undermined their relationships, career, finances, or success? It’s hard to watch. But the truth is, we all have the potential to be our own worst enemy. At times, we may ignore the tug of our consciences and sell ourselves on a questionable decision. In the Old Testament, we read an account of David finding himself in such a position, and his example can help us navigate our own dilemmas.
Discussion Questions
Have you ever had someone try to “sell” you on their bad decision? How did that situation play out?
When have you been your own worst enemy? Was there an internal conflict associated with the decisions that led to the regrettable outcome?
When are you most prone to sell yourself on a bad idea? What does it sound like? What’s your pitch?
How do you navigate a dilemma where circumstances seem to suggest one direction, but your conscience points in a different direction?
Read 1 Samuel 24:
After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
“Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
What do you think was going on in David’s mind when an opportunity to change his circumstances presented itself in the cave with Saul?
What was at stake in David’s decision of whether to take matters into his own hands and kill the king?
How do you think it affected David’s legacy that he listened to his conscience and chose to allow God to determine the outcome?
How might it have shaped his standing as the next king of Israel?
Often, other people can make us aware of the tension in our decision-making. Who are the people in your life that you’ve given permission to ask you about those tensions?
When you feel tension in deciding, what would it look like to pause until you can pinpoint a cause of it? What would it look like to explore rather than ignore your conscience?
Moving Forward
When you face a dilemma, and there’s a tension you can’t quite put your finger on - don’t rush by. That tension may very well be God’s way of protecting you. If something bothers you about him or her, that offer, that invitation, that deal... you owe it to yourself to face it. Face that tension until it goes away, or you go a different way. What begins as an uneasy feeling is often supported later with reason and insight. But if you don’t pause, you won’t see it.
Is there a tension that deserves your attention? Pay attention. That’s a decision that will keep you from becoming your own worst enemy.
One Minute After You Die | Week 3
Week 3: The Glory of Heaven
Key Scriptures
1 Corinthians 2:9
… “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Philippians 3:19-20
… Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ ...
Revelation 21:1-5, 7
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” … “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”
More Scriptures
John 14:1-6, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Romans 3:23-25, 1 Corinthians 15:55-58
Getting Started
What do you think Heaven will be like?
What do you hope to experience when you first enter Heaven?
Describe a moment when you felt like you experienced a piece of Heaven.
Dig Deeper
Read Philippians 3:19-20
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
What does it look like to live believing your citizenship is in Heaven?
Read Revelation 21:1-7
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first Heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
How does this change or confirm what you believe about Heaven?
What are some misconceptions you’ve had about Heaven?
Have you ever felt unsure of whether you’re going to Heaven? How have you worked through that?
How does your specific view of Heaven change how you live on earth?
Next Step
What actions will you take in response to this message series?
How can you talk about your eternal hope with someone else?
One Minute After You Die | Week 2
Week 2 Discussion Guide:
The Horrors of Hell
Key Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord …
Luke 16:19-24, 27-28
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ … He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’”
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
More Scriptures:
Revelation 20:10, Revelation 14:10-11, John 3:16, Romans 5:8-9
Discussion:
On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable do you feel with your understanding of Hell? Explain your answer.
Where have most of your views of Hell come from?
Getting Started
Our Pastor said, “What you believe about eternity determines how you live today.” How does this apply to Hell?
What are some reasons you or others struggle to believe Hell exists?
Digging Deeper:
Read Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
What point does it seem Jesus is trying to get across through this imagery?
Examine your last few weeks. What does your life say about what you believe about eternity?
Is there anything you want to change?
What’s the first practical step you can take this week to live, love, and serve with eternity in mind?
One Minute After You Die | Week 1
Week 1 Discussion Guide: Life After Death
Key Scripture
2 Corinthians 5:1-4, 6, 8-10 NLT
More Scriptures
Hebrews 9:27-28; John 11:25-26; Luke 23:42-43; Philippians 1:20-23; 1 Peter 1:17; Revelation 20:11, 12, 15; Matthew 7:21-23
Getting Started:
What did you grow up believing about life after death?
What’s something Pastor said that is influencing the way you think about life after death?
Digging Deeper
Why do you think it’s so easy to live most of life ignoring what happens after we die?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-4, 6, 8-10 NLT
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. … So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies, we are not at home with the Lord. … Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
What does this passage have to say about how we should live?
How are some ways you already live like eternity matters? Are there any ways you’re living like it doesn’t?
What are some things you would love to be known for when you meet Jesus in Heaven?
What is one change you want to make to live with eternity in mind?
NextStep
Commit to a step and live it out this week.
Discover more about life after death in this new Life.Church Bible Plan: www.go2.lc/after
Ask a close friend or family member what they think about the afterlife and share with them what you believe.
Original Recipe | Week 6
Week 6 Original recipe Discussion Guide
Getting Started:
What was your biggest takeaway from this series?
What were some other insights that stuck out to you?
How will you apply what you have discovered?
Did you commit to taking a Next Step?
If yes, are you willing to share what it was?
If not, what is holding you back?
Read John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”
How will these words of Jesus now affect your life as a follower of Jesus?
Next Step:
What are some things that might change based on his words?
Original Recipe | Week 5
Week 5 Original Recipe
Generosity
Big Picture:
Being a follower of Jesus is marked by a loving heart that meets the needs of others.
Getting Started:
What is something you used to believe in but now you don’t? Why did you stop believing?
Was there ever a time that you knew the right thing to do but didn’t do it? What were the consequences?
Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important to who we are as followers of Christ?
Read John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you Love one another.”
John 13:35
Does this passage describe the church you grew up in or have attended in the past?
Imagine a world where people skeptical of what we believe…are envious of how well we treat each other and amazed at how well we treat them.
How would the world look if the original recipe of the church remained a place of loving one another as Christ loved us?
Who is “one another” described in this verse?
According to Jesus and the message this Sunday, who is our neighbor?
Read 1 John 3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other.
What does our love for others show to others?
Read 1 John 3:16-19
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:
How is love defined to us?
How is love defined by us?
How does love confirm our identity in Jesus?
Next Step:
How does this idea of being generous change for you this week?
What is something this week you can adjust or change to be more loving to all?
Original Recipe | Week 4
Week 4 Original Recipe
Don’t Be Gross
Big Idea:
This Ekklesia movement is defined by how we love through how we serve.
Overview:
The movement that Jesus began and the early church continued, much to the world's amazement, continues today. As amazing as that is, Jesus predicted it, he gave us the countercultural truths to keep it going and invited us to engage with the local church and join him by loving and serving others.
Getting Started:
What is one thing that you have seen, heard, or even participated in where you had that thought, “This will never last”?
Did it last, or were you correct, and it is gone now?
When Jesus began his ministry, it was seen as a cult birthed in the armpit of the Roman Empire, Nazareth.
Eventually, Jesus would be rejected by his own people and crucified.
After the resurrection of Jesus, the first-century church survived and thrived in the face of violent, organized, state-funded resistance.
Secular (Non-Christian) scholars studied this and are dumbfounded that this movement still exists today.
Read John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
How did Jesus raise the bar of what love should be with this?
Read 1 John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
What does this look like in the everyday life of a Jesus follower?
What does this look like in the cumulative body we call the Ekklesia that Jesus began?
How have these counterculture ideas reshaped the world's view of what it means to be a human being?
I Corinthians 12:14-16
For the body does not consist of one part, but of many So it is with Christ. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
DON’T BE GROSS, but if you were forced to remove a body part from yourself, what part would you choose and why?
What position do you believe is the least important position to serve in at church on Sunday?
If Jesus came to serve and not to be served and “saved people, serve people,” is it even possible to not be engaged with the Ekklesia and not serve the community?
If you are not serving on the weekend, why not?
The Church in America is Dying?
Agree or disagree?
Experts are saying this, and statistics are telling us that attendance is dropping across denominations.
Even if you do not believe it, you must admit that the church has lost some of its influence.
If nothing changes, how will this affect the next generation?
Read Matthew 5:14
“You are the light of the world.”
The movement is bigger than just the weekend services.
How can we shine throughout the week?
John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Moving Forward:
Jesus said nothing can stop his movement.
He invites us to be part by taking his love and a servant’s heart, into the world.
What is one thing you can do this week to drive the movement forward and share Jesus’ love within your world?
Original Recipe | Week 3
Week 3 Original Recipe
Lost
Key Verses:
Luke 15:22-24
Overview:
We all have different adjectives that we use to describe people. Short, tall, fat, smart, not smart, rich, poor, republican, democrat, good, bad. Jesus had two adjectives that he used to describe people. Lost and found. These were important because they describe people’s relationship to God. Either connected or not. This was because Jesus realized, and we should too, that his mission and ours, was and still is to connect people to God. People who were nothing like Jesus liked Jesus, and Jesus liked them. Because we are the body of Christ, the same should be true of us.
Getting Started:
What is the most expensive or important item you have ever lost? If that item is still missing, how do you feel when you think about that item? If you found the item, how did you feel when you recovered it?
When an item becomes lost, why does it become our priority and consume our time, thoughts, and energy?
Read Luke 15:1-2
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
What are the three adjectives that describe the people in this passage? (Sinners, Tax collectors, and Pharisees)
People who were nothing like Jesus liked Jesus, and Jesus liked them.
Why was this counter to the culture and beliefs of the Pharisees?
Does that misinformation still exist among “religious” people?
Read Luke 15:3-7
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
What jumps out to you in this passage?
Read Luke 15:8-10
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
What jumps out to you in this passage?
Read Luke 15:11-12
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
What do these two verses say about the relationship between the father and the son?
Why would the father let the son go?
Luke 15:13-19 Summary
The son left the family farm, went to the city, and blew all the wealth his dad had given him.
Son became so broke that he took the worst possible job for a Jewish person, and that was feeding pigs. Even worse, he ate the pig slop because he was hungry.
Realized his dad’s servants were better off than him and decided to go home and ask his dad if he could be a servant.
All the way home he prepared a speech to try to persuade his dad to let him work on the farm.
Read Luke 15:20-23
So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
What stands out to you in these verses?
What adjectives would you use to describe this son?
Read Luke 15:24
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
What are the adjectives the father used to describe his returning son?
These adjectives were not literal. The son was not dead, nor was the son lost. His father most likely knew exactly where his son was either because he had others watching or others kept telling him where his son was and what his son was doing.
What was dead and lost between the father and the son?
How does this parable explain how God sees people and how we should too?
Read Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Changing your mind.
The gravitational pull in churches sometimes is to focus on the ninety-nine and not the one.
Why is this not the proper focus and who should be our focus? Why?
People who were nothing like Jesus liked Jesus, and Jesus liked them. Because we are the body of Christ the same should be true of us.
Original Recipe | Week 2
Week 2 Original Recipe
Don’t Settle for Christian
Intro:
Becoming a Christian is easy. It won't cost you anything. But Jesus never invited anyone to become a Christian. He invites us to follow.
Discussion Questions
1. Think of someone who seems "opposite" of you in a few ways.
This could be someone who looks or lives differently from you, or who has wronged you in some way.
Imagine doing something to bless or help that person.
What barriers arise in your mind?
For the next two questions, consider these two categories of believers:
Name someone you would consider an outstanding Jesus follower.
Why do you think so?
Just based on the above definitions, where would you put yourself on this scale?
Christian [———|———] Jesus Follower
Read Luke 6:32-36
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
What stands out to you?
When it comes to being more proactive as a Jesus follower, what's next for you?
Who can you move toward, and what specific step can you take?
Changing Your Mind
The men and women who make a difference in the world are not the ones who believe what’s right. They are the men and women who act and react when something isn't right—even when it costs them.
Original Recipe | Week 1
Key Verses:
Matthew 16:15-18
Acts 2:44-45
Sermon Overview:
The original church began as a movement first mentioned by Jesus. A movement founded on one core belief that Jesus was the son of the living God, who died and rose from the dead to pay for our sins.
The original recipe of the church was these simple instructions, Love one another as I have loved you, and love others enough to tell them the good news that God loves them and Jesus died for them. So that is what they did, and they changed the world with an irresistible message. A method of love and grace never before seen by any religion or movement. They did not just do it for church people because, to be honest, there were no church people. There were just people who knew and those who did not. Wherever this movement saw a need, it met it. You and I are the results of their faithfulness to those simple instructions.
But somehow, along the way, the recipe was changed from the original. The church today is not known as a place of love or good news. The positive impact of the original church became skewed to more of a negative influence. Love and good news are not characteristics of the church that stands out to the everyday world.
In this series, we will look back to the original recipe of how a movement of people without “The Bible” without structure, driven by a simple desire to follow Jesus and did what he did for others, changed the world. Our goal is to reimplement the original recipe and once again change our world with the irresistible good news of Jesus.
Get Started:
When we think of church, why is a building the first thing that comes to mind?
Is church a place full of robes and pews?
Bands and banners?
Or is church meant to refer to something different?
Read Acts 1:8 Jesus is talking to the disciple and the others who he had revealed himself too after his resurrection …
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The mission Jesus gave his followers centered on the task of making other followers.
Many of these people were, in fact, eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus.
The Church began as a movement:
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of church?
What were your first/early experiences of attending church?
Were those positive or negative experiences in your faith journey?
Read Matthew 16:15-18
Then he said, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church and the gates of death will not overcome it.”
In your words, how do you define church? What is the mission of the church?
Read Acts 2:22-24, 32-37 This is Peter speaking to the crowd after receiving the Holy Spirit
“People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. “Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off— for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
What is the thing that sticks out to you the most about church that first day?
If the church began as a movement, how do you see the church moving today?
If the church began as a movement, what can you do to be a part of that movement?
MOVING FORWARD
Church is much more than a building or a place. Church is more than pews or hymnals, lights, and music. In fact, on opening day, the church had no buildings or rituals, no bands, or robed choirs.
What it did have was a gathering of people who were intent on one thing: to create followers of Jesus Christ. In that sense, the church was a movement that continues today. A multiplying, multi-cultural gathering of people who believe that Jesus is the Savior and whose lives reflect his teaching.
No Offense | Week 5
When Forgiveness Seems Impossible
Getting Started:
Have you ever found yourself in a place where you needed to be rescued?
How did that make you feel?
Obviously, you were rescued. What emotions changed in the process?
Digging Deeper:
Read Colossians 1:13-14
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
What did Jesus have to do to rescue us from the dangers of hell and place us in the safety of his kingdom?
Read 1 John 1:9-10
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
God’s forgiveness is vital to our relationship with Him. How does that forgiveness change our lives?
Read Matthew 18:23-30
Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.
What perspective does this Scripture give on forgiveness?
How easy or difficult is it for you to forgive?
How should God’s forgiveness affect our relationships with others?
How does our pride play a part in NOT forgiving others?
What is the impact on our own life when we refuse to forgive?
How do you think forgiving will impact other areas of your life?
NextStep:
Find peace this week by extending forgiveness to a person or situation. Lean into your Life Group for support during this time.
No Offense | Week 4
When Bitterness Takes Over
Getting Started:
On a scale of 1–10, how much do you enjoy gardening or yard work?
What is the most difficult task of gardening? Keeping the weeds out.
Read Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
All bitterness starts out as a hurt.
Why do you think Scripture compares bitterness to a root?
Is there someone in your life that you have determined isn’t worth the effort to be at peace with?
What are you basing this opinion on?
They hurt or wronged you too deeply?
You don’t value them enough to make an effort to repair the relationship?
Hatred and holiness cannot coexist in the same heart.
How can this affect our ability to live holy and pure lives and cause us to fall short of God’s grace?
Read Luke 6:27-28
But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Read Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
What is grace?
What does grace have to do with forgiveness?
When we hold on to bitterness, we are not allowing ourselves to give grace to others. As hard as it sounds, this is being judgmental and saying that person does not deserve grace. No one, including us, deserves grace. That is why it is called grace. When we do not give grace, we do not get grace, and bitterness grows deeper. As we become bitter, everyone around us is affected by our bitter attitude.
Nothing healthy ever grows from the root of bitterness.
What can you do to let go of that bitterness and extend forgiveness instead?
NextStep
What would it look like to respond to offenses and bitterness with grace and forgiveness? If you’re having a difficult time extending forgiveness, start by remembering the grace Jesus freely gives you.
No Offense | Week 3
You’re Not as Right as You Think.
Getting Started:
What’s something you enjoy being right about?
Why is it so difficult to be wrong?
Digging Deeper
Read Luke 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
What was the difference between these two men?
If we are honest, we share the characteristics of both men depending on our state of mind.
What personal outlook or attitudes causes us to waver between the two? Pride or Humility?
Why is it so easy to be judgmental verse compassionate?
Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
As a believer, do you believe your role is to be the guardian of truth?
Is it possible to change someone’s heart by the strength of your argument or opinion?
According to the message, why did sinful people love to be around Jesus?
Read John 13:35
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.
How do we love people that disagree with us?
When you live like you’re forgiven by God, you’ll feel more gratitude, become more accepting, and overflow with love.
NextStep:
How can you share that abundant love with others this week?
Decide to respond from a forgiven posture now, so that when disagreements, debates, or controversies come up this week, you’ve already committed to respond from a place of love.