Month: June 2015

Hebrews 4:12-13 // The Ultimate Text

Lean In // 5 minutes

How many text message acronyms can you name?

Sample answers include:

  • LOL – Laugh Out Loud
  • RBTL – Read Between The Lines
  • TTYL – Talk TO You Later
  • WYWH – Wish You Were Here
  • TMI – Too Much Information
  • BTW – By The Way
  • SMH – Shaking My Head
  • BRB – Be Right Back
  • IDK – I Don’t Know
  • ROFL – Rolling On Floor Laughing
  • HTH – Hope This Helps

Leader Note: Text messaging is a way of life and so are the acronyms.  Use the question to generate some fun and engage the group.  As a follow up to the question, you could have group members make up their own acronyms and have others attempt to guess.

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read Hebrews 4:12-13

What do you learn about the Word of God?

Sample answers could include:

  • It is alive and active
  • It’s sharper than any double-edged sword
  • God’s word penetrates
  • It divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow
  • It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart
  • The word of God uncovers all and leaves us bare before Him

Look Out // 10 minutes

Where have you seen someone’s words bring life?  And, where have you seen words bring death?

Leader Note: God knows that we are marked by the power of words, which is why He is so intentional with his words.  They have the power to shape, give identity, reveal truth, direct our future, and guide decisions because God’s Word is active and alive.  This is why it is critical to listen for and respond to God’s Voice in our lives.

Look In // 20 minutes

Leader note: This week’s Look In question will be more experiential to demonstrate how God’s Word is alive and active. 

To begin, read Psalm 119:97-105 aloud to the group:

Oh, how I love your law!  I meditate on it all day long.  Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.  I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.  I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.  I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.  I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me.  How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!  I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.  Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Then, have group members re-write a part of the Psalm that speaks to them (IE- “God’s Voice is a map for my future and a flashlight for the way”)

Finally, have group members answer the following question:

Where do you need God’s Word to light a path?

Live It Out // 5 minutes

Who might be impacted by you making God’s Word your light and path?

Click here for Life Group Serve Opportunities

Learn More About Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.

John 10:1-5 // Father’s Day

Lean In // 5 minutes

What’s a song that triggers a memory for you?

Leader Note: Many of us have song’s that we associate for certain moments in our life. No matter where we are or what we are doing music has the power to take us back to a moment. Transition your group out of this question by saying something like… “just like music has the power to influence us, God’s voice is powerful and has ability to direct and change us.”

 

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read John 10:1-5

What do you learn about the shepherd and the sheep?

Sample answers may include…

  • There are some who try to steal the sheep
  • The shepherd enters in through the gate
  • The shepherd knows the gatekeeper, has relationship with the gatekeeper
  • The sheep listen to and know the shepherd’s voice
  • The shepherd calls each sheep by name, he knows them
  • The shepherd leads the sheep, goes in front of them
  • The sheep know the voice of the shepherd, the trust and follow him
  • Sheep run away from strangers, no relationship there, won’t trust won’t follow

 

Look Out // 10 minutes

What are the types of “voices” people follow?

What does it look like to follow those voices?

 Sample answers may include…
  • Political commentators
  • Money, greed
  • Pop culture
  • Academic
  • Fitness and health
  • Appearance, beauty
  • Comparison and competition

Leader Note: Make the point to your group that these voices have great influence on the way we see ourselves and the world around us.

 

Look In // 15 minutes

When was a time you heard and responded to God’s voice?

Leader Note: At this point you may want to remind your group about the content from Rooted Week 3, How Does Good Speak To Us, which highlights the different ways God speaks to us. Have each person in your group describe the way God spoke to them. You may want to also asks other ways He has spoken. The main point to highlight is that God speaks today through various means. In whatever way He always speaks in accordance to His Word, the bible is our guide and standard for how God speaks. 

1. God speaks to us through His Word.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

 2. God speaks through His Holy Spirit

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  John 14:26

3. God speaks to us through His creation.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:1-

4. God speaks to us through other people

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.  Proverbs 15:22

5. God speaks through our circumstances

6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” Acts 16:6-10

6. God speaks through supernatural means 

  • To Moses through a burning bush (Exodus 3)
  • To Balaam through his donkey (Numbers 22)
  • To Gideon through an Angel (Judges 6)
  • To Isaiah through a vision (Isaiah 6)

 

Where are you currently in need to hear God’s voice?

Leader Note: God’s voice often provides clarity and wisdom and reminds us of our identity in Christ? What’s a situation you’re facing where need God to speak and lead?

 

Live It Out // 5 minutes

How might your life and the lives of others be affected by you following God’s voice?

Click here for Life Group Serve Opportunities

Learn More About Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.

Ephesians 4:26-32 // Forgive It

Lean In // 5 minutes

What an item you’ve kept from your childhood?

Leader Note: Keep this question light as to engage everyone in your group. Think along the lines of toys, the baseball cards in your parents garage or stuff animal. Transition to the next question by saying something like… “while these things may be fun to think about, the reality is many of us carry things, past hurts and pains, that weigh us down. Let’s see what God’s word has to say about forgiveness.”

 

Look Down // 15 minutes

Read Ephesians 4:26-32

What do you learn about anger and forgiveness?

Sample answers may include…

  • Anger often leads to sin
  • Don’t allow anger to go unchecked, deal with it right away, put anger in it’s right place
  • Don’t let anger run out of control in your life, don’t let it run around,
  • Decide to deal with anger
  • Anger gives the devil an open door into our hearts, a space and a place
  • Anger grieves the Holy Spirit
  • Kindness and compassion is sign of forgiveness
  • Forgiveness is something we offer
  • We learn what forgiveness looks like form Jesus
  • We are called to forgive as Jesus forgave us

 

Look Out // 10 minutes

What does forgiveness look like, where have you seen it?

What does un-forgiveness look like, where have you seen it?

Leader Note: The aim of this question is to get your group thinking about where they have seen these principles play out in the real world. These questions should invite stories, and get the group thinking about the effects, both positive and negative, as they relate to forgiveness and un-forgiveness.

 

Look In // 20 minutes

Where have you held onto un-forgiveness?

What would it look like to forgive?

Leader Note: As you ask this question be sure to also highlight for your group what forgiveness is and what it is not. Again, be clear that this may not be the case in situation of abuse and violence.

Forgiveness is… 

  • Motivation: God forgave me
  • You owe, I pay
  • Refusing isolation, bitterness and vengence
  • Trusting God to make it right

 Forgiveness is not…

  • Excusing, justifying or denying
  • Pardoning, letting of consequences
  • I heal myself, anger, taking control
  • Ignoring the pain
  • Reconciliation. It takes one person to forgive but two to be reconciled

This is the gospel, recognizing our part in sin and admitting that we are helpless in making ourselves clean.

This is what God has done for us… “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

This is what God calls us to do… “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionated to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32

 

Live it Out // 5 minutes

What would change in your relationships if you lived this way?

Click here for Life Group Serve Opportunities

Learn More About Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.

Luke 6:37-42 // Own It

Lean In // 5 minutes

What is an excused you’ve used to get out of something?

Leader Note: Model this for your group by using story that is lighthearted and humorous. Encourage you’re group to get to story behind the excuse. From skipping out of helping a buddy move to avoiding the 4th kids birthday party in a row, most of us have come up with creative reasons why we can’t commit to people, places or things.

 

Look Down // 10 minutes

Read Luke 6:37-42

What do you learn about loving people?

Sample answers may include…

  • Loving people don’t judge or condemn others
  • Loving people forgive others
  • Loving people give to others
  • Loving people receive more based on how they express love to others, there’s a cause and effect
  • The loving thing to do is to first look at your own life before looking at others
  • Loving people want to help others, not judge them
  • Loving people want to help others because they have experienced freedom.
  • Loving people are motived by compassion, not judgment

Who are the blind in this passage and what do you learn about them?

Sample answers may include…

  • They focus on the faults of others
  • They are blind to their own failings
  • They judge and condemn to get the focus off themselves, not to help others
  • As the blind judge others the reveal something broken about themselves

Commentary: Draw your group’s attention to the correlation between the log and the speck. The sawdust in one person’s eye is directly related to the log in the other person’s eye. The log creates the sawdust just as our own faults or insecurities are often projected on others. The plank in our own eyes creates damage in others and causes us to have a skewed perspective on them.

 

Look Out // 10 minutes

What are some the reasons people shift blame? Where have you seen it?

Leader Note: Use care when asking and responding to this question. Don’t allow your group to turn to judgment of others. Pay special attention to the stories people share as often the things that agitate us are the things that we may also struggle with.

 

Look In // 20 minutes

Where have you struggled to own your part of blame in a situation?

Leader Note: This could be from a current situation or from the past. In both cases lead your group to see the importance of owning the ways we shift blame, or cover up our own misgivings. Refer your group back to the “circle of blame” illustration which points out the reality that are default is to own the bare minamium or no part at all of any given conflict.

What would it look like to own your part and ask for forgiveness?

Leader Note: As you ask this question be sure to also highlight for your group what forgiveness is and what it is not. Again, be clear that this may not be the case in situation of abuse and violence.

Forgiveness is…

  • Motivation: God forgave me
  • You owe, I pay
  • Refusing isolation, bitterness and vengence
  • Trusting God to make it right

Forgiveness is not…

  • Excusing, justifying or denying
  • Pardoning, letting of consequences
  • I heal myself, anger, taking control

Live It Out // 5 minutes

How would others be impacted if you lived this way?

Commentary: When we are able to deal with our areas of sin and pain we grow in compassion for those we called to encourage in their struggles. The promise of grace and freedom become our motivation, not judgment and condemnation.

Learn More About Flow Questions: Check out Kenton Beshore’s book Ask in the Irvine Campus Bookstore for more on the Flow Question model.