Month: November 2012

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 // Comfort And Joy Wk 4

Date:  December 1-2, 2012
Series:  Comfort and Joy
Message: Take Comfort
Passage:  2 Corinthians 1:3-7

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

What is one of your favorite comfort foods and when do you tend to want it most?

Leader note:  This should just be a fun and easy question to talk about.  This week we will be talking about “comfort”, so this will just be an easy way to get your group focused for the upcoming discussion.

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.  What do you learn about comfort?

Commentary:

  • Meant to be shared (just as we share in suffering so our comfort…)
  • God is the source of comfort
  • Comfort is not the opposite of suffering – not protection against suffering
  • Comfort is experienced during suffering, in the midst of suffering
  • Suffering is a given, but comfort is not (choose comfort but can’t choose suffering)
  • If (we-Paul) are distressed it is for (your) comfort and salvation – it can be overcome, example to them, if we can endure this you can endure this – which should bring comfort.
  • A person who goes through something harder than you are and you are comforted from the endurance they have – lets you know you can go through it too.
  • Comfort in spite of distress produces endurance (getting comforted in distress) – the sense God is with me, I’m not alone, gives me ability to endure.

 

Leader note:  You may want to come up with a working definition for the term comfort for the next questions.

               

UNDERSTANDING – 25 MINUTES

What does suffering look like? 

Leader note:  Come up with as many situations you can think of, make a list similar to the one below:

  • Pain
  • Sadness
  • Grief
  • Hurt
  • Divorce
  • Loss
    • Relationship
    • Innocence
    • Health
    • Stability
    • Opportunity
    • Dreams
    • Stuff and thing
  • Not feeling valued
  • Isolated
  • Feeling like you’re not loved
  • Feeling defeated

 

What is comfort “not”?

  • Not created – Can’t be manufactured
  • Not a solution
  • Not a quick fix
  • Not a replacement
  • Not a guarantee the suffering will end
  • Not revenge
  • Not removal of whatever the suffering is
  • Not having the answers to “why” the suffering

 

What does false comfort look like? 

Leader note:  People try to comfort themselves with food, drink, drugs – lots of different ways to “console” themselves, but they don’t bring real comfort.   

 

Where have you seen people bring real comfort to others? 

Leader note:  Another way to ask this would be, “What does real comfort look like?  Where have you seen that in life? 

Commentary:  Some examples of real comfort would be:

  • People coming around them, relationship, identifying with them
  • Offering hope, encouragement, empathy, compassion, relationship, peace, rest, strength

 

How was that used in other’s lives?

Leader note:  In the passage it says that we are comforted so that we can comfort – how have you seen that in your life? 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

When was a time in your life you needed comfort?  What did you pursue? 

Were you open to being comforted?

Leader note:  It may be that you have those who are in a place of suffering now and are either being comforted, or need you and your group to bring comfort.  What would that look like?  Have they tried  to “console” themselves?  How open are they to comfort – are they saying things like “No, I’ll be fine”, “I can handle it”, that closes them off to comfort.  Be gentle, but reassure them that it is one of God’s greatest gifts to have His family bring comfort to others.

Examples: 

During divorce, felt alone – afraid-unlovable- found comfort in friendship, he connected, he was loved, people reached out – especially holidays, didn’t have to look for it but people reached out. 

During a cancer scare – people prayed boldly for healing, surrounded family so they knew we were cared for.

 

How could your suffering bring comfort to someone else?

 

PRAY:  Before you end your time together, thank God for His ultimate comfort.  Pray for opportunities to bring comfort to those suffering in your family and those you come in contact with this Christmas season.  Ask for God’s prompting and guidance for how best to comfort others, and how you might uniquely bring the gift needed most – comfort and joy.

 

LIVE IT OUT

Since all comfort comes from God through his people…What would it look like for us to live as agents of God’s comfort?

Colossians 3:17 // Greater Than Wk 4

Life Group Leaders,

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and continue to live with overflowing and joyful thankfulness as you move into the Christmas season. 

You heard a message from Colossians this weekend and we would like for you to try something a little different in your group time.   You will take a simple and purposeful verse and discuss how you can apply it to your lives this season.  We hope you will share your thoughts and stories with us, and of course each other, as you continue to celebrate all that Christmas means.

 

Discussion for group:

Read Colossians 3:17.  Here are two different translations of the verse:

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (NIV)
“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”  (NLT)

 

What does this look like as you prepare for Christmas?

Leader note:  This is a good commentary as to what this verse means and how it can be lived out:  Whatever you do – Whether preaching the word of Christ, in hearing the Gospel, in singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and in conference and conversation with each other; or in whatever action, civil or religious throughout the whole life and conversation, in the performance of things natural, moral and evangelical, relating to God or man, or one another, in the world or church

do in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ – both in the strength of Christ, without whom nothing can be well said or done; and according to the mind and will of Christ, calling upon his name for assistance in the administration of his ordinances, and in the performance of every duty, directing all to, and having solely in view his honor and glory.

Leader note:  Consider the following as you discuss this question:

 

 

  • What does this mean when you are buying gifts?

 

 

 

Spend several minutes at the end of your time together to encourage one another in their actions this Christmas season, plan how to share stories and struggles, and come together one more time before Christmas to celebrate Christmas “different”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Life Groups Team would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.  We are very grateful for all you do as leaders, and encouraging your group to grow in their relationship with Jesus as well as shepherding and caring for them.  Your dedication to this ministry is appreciated, and it is because of you, and your life group, we are seeing great advances for God’s Kingdom in our communities. 

This week, instead of discussion time focused around the weekend message with flow questions, we are hoping you will take time in a prayer time of thanksgiving, or serve with your group or as a family.  If you come together for a coporate prayer of thanksgiving you can use the following format:

5-10 MINUTES 

  • Words of Praise and Worship
  • Saying the names of God,
  • Proclaiming out loud who God is
  • Praising His attributes

 

20 MINUTES

Stories spoken to God highlighting His faithfulness, provision, answering of prayers, deliverance, etc.

 

20 MINUTES

Either out loud as a group, or individually spend time bringing to God current requests, supplications, needs, etc., and offer them in a manner of thanksgiving, (Heavenly Father, I thank you for reminding me as I seek for financial wisdom and provision, that you are already working on my behalf.  Thank you for knowing me, understanding the anxiety and worry I feel and yet you surround me with your peace, please help me Father to relinquish the worry and embrace your peace.  Thank you for your Spirit who intercedes when I am at a loss for words.  I am grateful for each day you give me, in good times and in challenges, as it is a new day to surrender, to seek you and your will, and to rejoice in your faithfulness.)

 

 

 

 

Colossians 2:8-23 // Greater Than Wk 3

Flow Questions
November 10-11, 2012
Series:  Greater Than
Passage:  Colossians 2:8-23

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

 

Separate your group into two teams – those who were born in the months of January to June, and those born July to December.  Have them come up with three reasons their birth months are better than the others.  Then give them time to tell the other team why they are better.

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

Read Colossians 2:16-23 What are the false ways of belonging?

 

 

UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES

Why is this way of belonging compelling?

In these rules, what do you get that you want?  What do you get that you don’t want?

 

What are ways people have tried to belong?  What have been the results?

 

 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

What are ways you’ve tried to belong?  What have been the consequences?

After everyone has had a chance to answer the question, read Colossians 2:8-15.  What is the treasure and how do we belong?

How do we belong?

 

LIVE IT OUT

 

When we’re in those false ways, what are we communicating to the world?  What do we do about it?

 

 

Flow Questions with Leader Notes and Commentary

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

 

Separate your group into two teams – those who were born in the months of January to June, and those born July to December.  Have them come up with three reasons their birth months are better than the others.  Then give them time to tell the other team why they are better.

 

Leader note:  The idea is to create the idea of false elitism which will play out in the upcoming questions, and it lets your group experience subtle exclusion.

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

 

Read Colossians 2:16-23 What are the false ways of belonging?

Leader note:  Be sure you start reading at verse 16, as you will read the first part of the passage at the end of the study.

Commentary:  Some of the answers your group should come up with-

  • Right diet
  • Religion — rituals and festivals, asceticism (self-denial)
  • common list of “don’ts”
  • false humility — makes us think we’re better than we are (exclusionary)
  • special, spiritual, experiences, visions, elitism
  • good things become more important or necessary to add to Jesus (devalues Jesus)

 

UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES

 

Why is this way of belonging compelling?

Leader note:  Consider what you listed above and why these might be compelling – what makes them something those in Colossi would want belonging to mean and what makes them something we would want belonging to actually be.

 

Commentary:

Something I can control — salvation is in my hands, sense of security, boundaries, safety.
gives me a way to compare against other people
Tangible
comparison against other people
focus on the externals — don’t have to worry about the heart stuff.
2000 years of history — marked out God’s covenant people and their relationship with each other and him. There is some good parts to it.
gives you a way back “in” —
understandable and rational — objective.
can be seen by others.

 

In these rules, what do you get that you want?  What do you get that you don’t want?

Leader note:  Another way to ask this would be, “What are the consequences of trying to belong through those means?”

 

Commentary:

  • going to tire you out.
  • gives you a sense of your standing — I’m OK, all these things will cover my mistakes.
  • false sense of who I am.
  • Start to think I don’t even need Jesus – it’s what I do over what I am
  • These things justify me. — self-righteous, pride
  • tools from sin-management which keeps you from heart transformation
  • forces you to become a judgmental person — have to judge and put down others to justify your own performance
  • isolate — hiding, image management

 

What are ways people have tried to belong?  What have been the results?

  • NOT SINNING does not make me better, nor gives me the right to condemn.
  • FALSE HUMILITY — turning down attention and credit and admiration
  • SELF-DENIAL — not enough fullness of Christ.
  • isolation… Hide because it’s all about image management
  • LEGALISM: Grace versus works… I should be… I wish I was… I’m not allowed to…
  • GOD COULDN’T POSSIBLY THINK I’M IN TROUBLE — Jesus I’m sorry.
  • SCARY WITHOUT LAW-BOUNDARIES — false sense of safety, I can’t be trusted

 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

What are ways you’ve tried to belong?  What have been the consequences?

Leader note:  Consider the list you’ve created.  What are ways you have personally tried to belong and what were the results?

 

Examples:  Growing up we were very legalistic, didn’t sing, dance, smoke or drink.  Problem was friends did all those things, I was alienated from them but tended to judge them.  It didn’t make me better.  When I would try to talk about Jesus, He got lost in all I was doing.  It wasn’t about Jesus, it was about what I was doing.

I decided to not allow our kids to watch TV.  Then I realized when I was telling other people it was more about having them see how much better I was than they were, not about why I did it in the first place which was to spend quality time with my children and to have them use their time in more productive and creative ways.

On the other side of this, I wanted to know more about the Christian faith, but I would see all these people who seemed too good for me, I would have to do too much changing in order to be able to go in a place with them – like stop smoking, cover my tattoos.  I thought it was about cleaning myself up and changing myself before I could let Jesus see me.

 

After everyone has had a chance to answer the question, read Colossians 2:8-15.  What is the treasure and how do we belong?

8-10:

  • Fullness of deity
  • in Christ, we’ve been brought to it.
  • life, transformed
  • filled to the fullness — we have all we need, we lack nothing, overflowing, complete, god’s work is done, content

11-12:

  • identity secured —
  • before Christ = separated, condemned
  • after Christ = forgiven, clean
  • OT: identity came through circumcision (shadow of what is to come)
  • NT: baptism
  • membership in covenant community with God
  • When Jesus died, you died
  • When Jesus rose, you rose — in Christ.
  • symbol of inward reality = same as OT circumcision

13-15

  • all sins forgiven
  • nailed to the cross
  • no longer in debt
  • debt came from… Law: list of charges against us — “legal indebtedness”
  • nailed it to the cross
  • that which condemns has been nailed to the cross
  • public spectacle…of (sin, death, and power)
  • The foolishness of Jesus, took wisdom of world and flipped it.
  • “irony of the cross” — dying and then rising.

 

How do we belong?

  • Forgiven, set-free, no longer slave to sin, etc.
  • Jesus

 

 

 

LIVE IT OUT

 

When we’re in those false ways, what are we communicating to the world?  What do we do about it?

 

Leader note:  Consider this as you are serving.  Follow up with these questions.

 

  • When you’re serving – one of the most powerful thing is it breaks…
  • When you serve and go as a critical self-righteous, false humility – they know you want to feel better about yourself.
  • Serve out of religious obligation – you hurt people, about you, self-righteous, no one loved, no one’s life is changed

 

 

PRAY:  As you end your time together, take a couple of minutes of silent confession where you come before God and confess how you have tried to belong in false ways – whether depending on yourself, rules, image management – whatever is the case, confess it to your forgiving Father.  Then thank God for His family and the work on the cross which makes it possible for you to belong as a beloved child to this eternal family.  Ask God to work on your heart to seek out those who want so much to belong, and just need to know how, and to extend the truth of Jesus alone being the way.

Colossians 2:1-7 // Greater Than Wk 2

 

November 3-4, 2012
Series:  Greater Than
Message:  Chasing Treasure
Passage:  Colossians 2:1-7

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

What are the Indiana Jones movies in the order they were released?

What are the marks of a great hidden treasure story?

 

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

Read Colossians 2:1-7.  What does Paul tell you about this adventure?

What is the treasure? 

 

UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES

What makes this treasure worth finding?

Everyone is following a map that leads somewhere.  What are other treasure people seek?  What does their map look like?

 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

Is Jesus the treasure you continue to seek? 

 

Look at the map qualities in the observation question. Where are you not deviating from the map?Where do you fall off the map at times?

What are the dangers and is He worth overcoming them? 

What are our resources?

LIVE IT OUT

As you consider the treasure, “in Christ, Hope of Glory”, with whom can you share the story of your treasure hunt?  How can you be their resource, and help them address their dangers?

 

PRAY:  As you end your time together spend time in overflowing thankfulness.  Either silently or as a group, give God the glory for how He has, and is, providing, blessing and protecting you.  Then ask God for wisdom and discernment as you run into the dangers of life, and that He will set your feet solidly on back on the map.  Pray He will continue to reveal to you that you are “in Christ” and what that means in your life.

 

 

Flow Questions with Leader notes

 

 

INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES

What are the Indiana Jones movies in the order they were released?

Leader note:  Have your group remember as many of the movies as they can, and then ask them why their choice is the favorite.    For your reference the movies are as follows:  Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, Crystal Skull

What are the marks of a great hidden treasure story?

Commentary:

  • adventure
  • danger
  • treasure is worth it
  • enemy
  • believable hero
  • map

 

Transition to the observation question with this:  “This passage has all the elements of a great adventure story.”

OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES

Read Colossians 2:1-7.  What does Paul tell you about this adventure?

Leader note:  This passage has all the elements of a great hidden treasure adventure.  It may be easier to go through the text if you highlight resources, dangers and the map of finding and getting the treasure.

 

 

What is the treasure? 

Leader note:  The treasure is “In Christ, hope of glory”,

 

UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES

 

What makes this treasure worth finding?

Leader note:  Another way to ask this is “What does “in Christ” mean?”  and “What “hope of glory” mean?”.

 

Follow that up with what seems like a hypothetical question, “Is the treasure worth the dangers we will face?”   But you will see as you progress through the questions people will really have to come to terms with their answer “the treasure is worth it”, because life’s dangers are big and other treasures look pretty good.

 

Commentary:

In Christ: 

  • hope of eternal salvation
  • freedom from sin, death, etc.
  • gives purpose to life
  • All of what is given/sustaining Paul is available to you.  
  • Reconciles us to God – right relationship with God
  • I have a family, I belong
  • Not my strength – I have power that doesn’t run out.
  • I’m being purified… (have been purified)
  • Continual presence
  • All of who God is…
  • guidance
  • joy
  • nothing I can’t overcome
  • passion for his work
  • freedom from sin and fear
  • renovation
  • power to live.
  • Grace
  • Be part of the Kingdom of God, no and forever

 

Hope of Glory:

  • This is an eternal treasure for here and now and for forever… 

 

Everyone is following a map that leads somewhere.  What are other treasure people seek?  What does their map look like?

 

APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES

 

Is Jesus the treasure you continue to seek? 

Leader note:  Remind your group that after we find the treasure and are “in Christ”, we continue to see to be “in Christ”, we are still on the map, we still face dangers and we still need to call upon our resources.

Leader note:  Other ways to ask this question, “What map are you following and where is it leading?”   “What are you hoping in?  People put something like ambition, power, status, money as our treasure and the map we’re following is leading us to that treasure and includes making our own rules, being selfish, not being generous, spending less time with God, etc)

 

Look at the map qualities in the observation question. Where are you not deviating from the map?Where do you fall off the map at times?

Leader note:  It could be that you don’t find yourself in overflowing thankfulness, but that you feel like God hasn’t given you your fair share.  Or maybe you’re not spending time in God’s word, growing your roots, bearing fruit.

 

What are the dangers and is He worth overcoming them? 

Leader note:  Our dangers are basically the same as those Paul faced:  discouragement, believing there are other things worth pursuing, feeling alone and more.

What are our resources?

Leader note:  Hopefully your group will see each other as resources. Your accountability to each other, providing the safe place to discuss and grow in your faith, prayer partnerships, these are all resources. 

 

 

LIVE IT OUT

As you consider the treasure, “in Christ, Hope of Glory”, with whom can you share the story of your treasure hunt?  How can you be their resource, and help them address their dangers?

 

PRAY:  As you end your time together spend time in overflowing thankfulness.  Either silently or as a group, give God the glory for how He has, and is, providing, blessing and protecting you.  Then ask God for wisdom and discernment as you run into the dangers of life, and that He will set your feet solidly on back on the map.  Pray He will continue to reveal to you that you are “in Christ” and what that means in your life.