Month: April 2014

Luke 5:1-11 // Out Of Control: What If Wk 1

Lean In // 5 minutes

What was your most memorable moment from Easter?

Leader Note: These moments could be something that took place in our Easter service, perhaps at the Egg Scramble on Saturday Night or in a conversation with family or a loved one over Easter.

 

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read Luke 5:1-11

What do you learn about faith and control from Simon?

Sample answers may include…

Control

  • Simon’s initial response is telling. He believes that in order to catch anything he must work hard at it, it’s up to him and his skill on any given day how many fish he will catch. (v.5)
  • “Oh Lord, please leave me, I am a sinful man!” Simon’s reaction when confronted with Jesus’ power is to look inward on his own sin (v.8)

Faith

  • He allows Jesus to enter his boat and use it to teach the crowds. This was Simon’s means of provision, he would have likely not just allowed anyone to use it (v.3)
  • “But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” We can’t be sure of Simon’s tone here. Whether sarcastic or sincere Simon demonstrates faith by following Jesus’ request. (v.5)
  • “Oh Lord, please leave me!” Simeon’s recognition of who Jesus is switches here from Master to Lord. Calling him Lord, Simon again demonstrates a faith in he Jesus is, he’s more than a Master or good teacher. (v.8)

 

Look Out // 10 minutes

Where have you seen someone take a great risk that didn’t pan out?

We have you seen someone take a great risk that paid off?

Leader Note: Remember the aim of the “Look Out” question is to take the concept of the passage and ask where we see it played out in our world today. This question should invoke stories that could relate directly to the individual or another person.

 

Look In // 20 minutes

Where do you struggle to hold onto control?

What’s your next faithful step in releasing control?

Leader Note: Highlight to your group the step-by-step moments in the passage where Simon stepped out in obedience to Jesus’ calling. First he allows Jesus to enter his boat (v.3), then he puts his nets down in the water (v.4-5) and finally he leaves everything and follows Jesus (v.11). Following Jesus is often like that for us, faithful step after faithful step.

Commentary: The absence of control is typically seen as a negative thing in our society. We may take risk but usually only calculated risk where the odds of success, the outcome we desire, is heavily tipped in our favor. The Faith that Simon demonstrates in the passage is one that places absolutely control into Jesus’ hands.

Point out to your group that Simon takes this bold step right after he got everything he was working for, the biggest catch of his life! Would you have that same level of faith? Could you walk away from your dreams or successes to follow Jesus?

 

Live It Out // 5 minutes

Who could you impact by releasing control to God in your life?

Pray: Pray for your group to take courageous steps of trust this week in their relationship with God and others. Pray for the Holy Spirit to speak and to illuminate the strongholds in our lives where the need for control has dominated our thoughts and actions.

Romans 8:11-17 // Easter

Lean In // 5 minutes

If you could have one superpower what would it be and why? 

Leader Note: Do your best to get everyone to answer this amusing question. Remember the more people talk in the beginning the more likely they are to stay engaged throughout the discussion.

 

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read Romans 8:11-17

What do you learn about God’s Spirit?

Sample answers may include

  • God’s Spirit raised Christ from the dead (v.11)
  • God’s Spirit is alive in us (v.11)
  • God’s Spirit gives us life and power now (v.11)
  • We can choose to live by God’s Spirit or our sinful nature (v.12-13)
  • Living by God’s spirit puts to death the ways of our flesh (v.13)
  • It is God’s Spirit leading us that identifies us as God’s children (v.14,16)
  • God’s Spirit does not make us fearful or slaves (v.15)
  • God gives us His Spirit, we don’t earn it (v.15)
  • God’s Spirit causes us to be heirs together with Christ, we share in His glory and we also share in His suffering (v.17)

 

Look Out // 10 minutes

Where have you seen people hold on to dead things?

Where have you seen people experience new life?

Leader Note: This can work its self out in a number of ways. Unforgiveness, regret, fear pain and shame can often be seen as our “just deserved” outcome for our actions that we come to accept death as the only reality. Easter tells us that new life is possible, that death is not final through the power of God’s Spirit.

 

Look In // 20 minutes

Where are you in need of God’s Spirit to bring a dead thing to life?

Commentary: The power of the cross signals to us that new life is possible! Be it a broken relationship, an addiction or a general sense of needing to control our lives we can trust in God’s Spirit to give us power and strength to overcome the remains of death in our lives.

 

Live It Out // 5 minutes

Who could you impact by living in the power of God’s Sprit?

Leader Note: Read the first half of verse 11 again to your group. God’s spirit brings us life, freedom and healing. Our call as Christ followers is to then live out those things for the sake of others. Challenge your group to think about where God is calling them to live out new life… what could that look like, what could the impact be?

Pray: Father we thank you for the ultimate sacrifice you paid in your son that has restored us in relationship with you. We thank you that through the death and resurrection of Jesus we now experience life in place of death. We ask for the boldness and conviction to live in that new life so that others can experience freedom, salvation and healing. Amen.

John 11:1-44 // Have I Got A Surprise For You

Lean In // 5 minutes

What’s something you remember wanting so badly as a kid?

Leader Note: As a follow up you may want to ask whether the person received what they hoped for, what did it feel like to get that thing, what did it feel like not to receive it?

 

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read Luke 11:1-44

Leader Note: This week’s passage is a very long one. You may want to break it up in the following sections (11:1-16, 11:17-37, 11:38-44), asking the same question below after each section.

What do learn about Jesus from his response to Lazarus’ sickness and death?

Sample answers may include

  • He was full of faith that Lazarus’s sickness wouldn’t end in death (v.4)
  • Jesus believed that God would be glorified in this trial (v.4)
  • Jesus doesn’t rush, he is patient, works on his timetable not ours (v.6-7)
  • Jesus isn’t afraid to enter into dangerous places (v.8)
  • Jesus looked forward to healing him so that others would really believe in him (v.14)
  • Jesus has the power over physical death as well as spiritual/eternal death and life (v.23-26)
  • Jesus experiences emotion, the death of his friend caused anger and sadness (v.33,35)
  • Jesus does the impossible even when others doubt (v.39-40)
  • The words of Jesus give life (v.43)
  • Jesus invites us to participate in his healing work (v.39,44)

 

Look Out // 10 minutes

Where have you seen people remain hopeful in a desperate situation?

Where have you seen people lose hope in a desperate situation?

Commentary: Be it sickness, financial hardship, relational stress or praying for a loved one to come to Christ, most of us face situations where our hope and belief for change is challenged. Where have you seen that? What has that looked like in the world around us and in those close to you?

 

Look In // 20 minutes

Where have you endured in a desperate situation?

Where have you or where are you currently struggling to remain hopeful?

Leader Note: Help guide the individual and the group to identify what things enable them to remain hopeful (i.e. community, God’s word, remembering God’s faithfulness). What could it look like to allow those things to help guide you in present trouble?

 

Live It Out // 5 minutes

Where might Jesus be calling you to live out hope for others?

Commentary: Jesus involves those around him in this passage to have a hand in the miracle of raising Lazarus to life. He tells them “roll back the stone” and to “unwarp him and let him go.” Where is Jesus inviting you to roll back the stone and unwarp the stench and bondage of death? Jesus does the heavy lifting for us by his work on the cross.  Death is already defeated! He calls us to join in with what he has already done.

Pray: Pray for the reality of the Holy Spirit, the comforter, to be near to those who are in the middle of situations that seem hopeless and desperate. Pray for God to be near and for your group to step in with love and courage to hold each person up. Pray for the eyes of your group to be opened to the places where Jesus is inviting them to join in his work or removing the stench of death that still remains in our world.

Luke 4:31-44 // Freedom For All: How To Start A Revolution Wk 5

Lean In // 5 minutes

Name a gift you were given that others got to enjoy. 

Sample answers may include

  • Game system
  • Your first car
  • Tickets to a concert

 

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read Luke 4:31-44

What do you learn about oppression?

Sample answers may include

  • It can be spiritual (v.33)
  • Jesus has authority over demons that cause spiritual oppression (v.34-35,41)
  • It can be physical (v.38)
  • Jesus has authority over physical oppression (v.39-40)
  • Oppression can come in many forms (v.40)
  • Jesus’ healing of the oppressed is an expression of the good news of the Kingdom of God (v.43)

 

Look Out // 10 minutes

Where have you seen people suffer from spiritual, emotional or physical oppression?

Where have you seen people set free form spiritual, emotional or physical oppression?

 

Look In // 20 minutes

Where are you currently struggling with a form of oppression?

Leader Note: This is a great time to revisit the discussion and content from week 8 of rooted on strongholds. Remind your group that a stronghold is…

“An area of sin in our lies where our flesh and Satan have worked together to create destructive patterns that are sometimes hard to see and impossible to break in our own strength (Romans 7:21-25). A stronghold is more than a sin. Satan has taken a natural desire in us and supercharged it to create something beyond our control.”  (Rooted week 5)

What would it look like to embrace Jesus authority over oppression in your life?

Leader Note: Strongholds are most often birthed in a lie. We believe something to be true about ourselves or about our desires that is in contrary to what God would have us believe.

Some ways in which we break strongholds include…

  • By acknowledging that the enemy is real (1 John 5:19, 1 Peter 5:8)
  • By acknowledging Jesus’ victory over the enemy (Colossians 2:13-15)
  • By living by the spirit (Romans 8:11-18, Galatians 5:16-21)
  • By armoring ourselves God’s armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) which is… Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation and His Word.
  • Through confession, surrender and accountability
  • By embracing our True Identity in Christ

Remind your group of a few verses which speak into our identity in Christ.

  • God is pleased with me – Genesis 1:31
  • I am a child of God – John 1:12
  • Christ calls me friend – John 15:15
  • I have received the power of the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:8
  • I am a new creation in Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:17
  • I have been adopted as God’s child – Ephesians 1:5
  • I am redeemed by God’s grace – Ephesians 1:7
  • I am seated in heavenly realms with Christ – Ephesians 2:6-7
  • I am God’s masterpiece – Ephesians 2:10

 

Live It Out // 5 minutes

Who could you impact by embracing Jesus’ freedom?

Pray: You may also want to lead your group through a prayer that acknowledges our strongholds and the power of Christ within us to give us freedom. As in rooted it may be appropriate to have men and women pray separately.  Here’s a suggested prayer for each person to pray over themselves as you stand together in agreement and faith.

“Father, I come before you in the Name of Jesus. I recognize the power You have given me by the shed blood of Jesus to demolish spiritual strongholds in my life. I confess that I have given a foothold to sin and I renounce the stronghold of _____________________ I claim the truth of God’s word and who He says that I am by the authority of the Name of Jesus Christ. Through your power, I take back the ground I surrendered to the enemy. I pray You will enable me to trusty an obey Your Holy Spirit so that this area of my life will be in conformity to the image of Christ. Amen.” (Rooted week 5)

Consider this prayer for your group as well…

Dear heavenly Father, I acknowledge Your presence in my life. You are the only all-knowing, all-powerful, and always- present God. I am dependent upon You, for apart from Christ I can do nothing. I stand in the truth that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to the resurrected Christ, and because I am in Christ I share that authority in order to make disciples and set captives free. I ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit and lead me into all truth. I pray for Your complete protection an ask for Your guidance. In Jesus’ name I pray.