Date: April 13-14, 2013
Series: Christian?
Message: Be Fearless
Passage: Matthew 25:31-46
INTRODUCTION – 5 MINUTES
WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT ARE YOU BLIND TO?
Leader note: Here are several fun ways you can create energy with this question.
- Have everyone close their eyes. Ask, “What is so and so wearing?” Ask about several different people to see how observant people are.
- Present a 3D picture (that emerges when you stare or cross your eyes – they are available online), and discover who can “see” the image.
- Have a Where’s Waldo book and see who finds him first.
- Change something in the room where you meet and ask, “What’s different in the room?”
OBSERVATION – 20 MINUTES
READ MATTHEW 25:31-46. WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT FOLLOWING JESUS?
Leader note: Last week we defined “Christian” as a follower of Jesus, someone who learns from and imitates Jesus. This week we will look at what it means to follow Jesus.
Commentary from the passage:
It’s someone who cares for, sees, identifies, notices, and engages the “least of these” (without regard to who they are or how they got there)
- Hungry
- Thirsty
- Stranger
- Prisoner
- Sick
- Without Clothes
They didn’t know it was Jesus – just saw someone in need and met that need.
Jesus divided them as sheep and goats – sheep were useful for their wool, goats were not – they were divided by their usefulness.
WHAT’S THE SURPRISE IN THE STORY?
There is a big division, they all thought they were followers, but Jesus said “no”!
UNDERSTANDING – 20 MINUTES
WHO WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE CATEGORIES OF “THE LEAST OF THESE?”
Leader note: Go through each of the categories Jesus highlights in the passage and put together a complete list of who would be included in each one. Consider people in emotional, physical, spiritual, geographical, financial, relational terms. Here are some examples to get you started.
- Prisoners – captives – addicts, financially indebted, toxic relationships, slaves to their past,
- Sick – mental illness, cancer, physically disabled, auto-immune disorders
- Hungry – (continue working through the various categories)
CONSIDER ALL THOSE INCLUDED IN THE CATEGORIES, WHERE DO PEOPLE PUT ON BLINDERS TO THEM?
Leader note: Look at how people live their lives and discuss how they purposefully avoid people that fall into the categories. Maybe by “checking out” when issues come up, avoiding certain people altogether, creating a lifestyle where they control who they come in contact with.
WHY DO WE PUT ON BLINDERS TO THEM?
Commentary:
We aren’t uncomfortable
Takes time
Avoid our own stuff – we have to see our own if we engage
“I don’t want to go there”
I might catch it
APPLICATION – 20 MINUTES
WHERE HAVE YOU “SEEN” JESUS THIS WEEK AND RESPONDED TO HIM? WHERE HAVE YOU PUT ON BLINDERS?
Leader note: Discuss opportunities you have run into this week to respond to those in the categories listed above and what you did. It could be as simple as buying a cup of coffee for someone, engaging in conversation with someone who needed relationship. Explore different ways you have met the needs of those hungry, thirsty, imprisoned, etc.
GO TO howtobefearless.org AND CHOOSE A SERVING OPPORTUNITY TO DO AS A GROUP.
LIVE IT OUT
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITY IF WE TOOK THE BLINDERS OFF?