Life Group Discussion Guide

[This Discussion Guide is also available as a .pdf that can be downloaded here.]

Life Group Discussion Guide :: Sunday, April 1, 2012 (JXG)

Sandy Lake Wesleyan :: Pastor Shawn

For U  |  Week 1

Remember, this Guide is not intended as an exhaustive list of what can be discussed, but is best used as a guide to help your Group process what God is teaching them. Read through the discussion points below and prayerfully consider what the Holy Spirit would have you work through.

 Be sure to pray for, encourage each other, and share the victories God is giving your Group.

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“You might be surprised to know that Easter is not just about Jesus. Seriously. It’s not all about Him. It’s also about...us. It is about you! Easter reminds us that because God loves you, Jesus lived for you, died for you and rose for you. Because He did that for us, we can ultimately live for Him; and that changes everything.”

• What is your initial reaction to this idea? 
• Some of us bristle at this; why do you suppose that is?
• What are some of the dangers of thinking Jesus is not enough ‘about us’? 
• What are some of the symptoms that we have misunderstood this?

Read Mark 11:9-10; discuss…

• What was so significant about this FIRST “Palm Sunday?”
• The people gathered didn’t fully understand what Jesus came to do…what are ways that you have ‘missed the point’ in the past of who Jesus is/what he came to do? How can we gain greater clarity on who Jesus and our call to relationship with him?

• What are ways that we fail to acknowledge Jesus as King?
• What is God calling you to trust him with in your own life as King and Rescuer?

Read Romans 8:31

• It can be easy to buy into the lie that God is against us or is indifferent toward us; have these thoughts ever been present for you? How did they show themselves? 
• If God is for us, what does that mean about how we approach him in prayer?
• If God is for us, what does that mean in terms of how we handle adversity?
• If God is for us, he can be trusted… what is something he is calling you to trust him with that you have previously held onto as your own to manage/deal with/figure out?
• As you prayerfully identify what you may be holding back from the God who is for you, share this with each other… have your Group pause to pray for each other that you would grow in awareness and trust.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:18; discuss…

• What is the ‘message of the cross?’ How might it be seen as foolish?
• The writer uses the phrase, “to us who are being saved…”
• Why do you think he chose these words? Why not “to us who have been saved?”
• If our rescue already ours...but not yet fully seen...how does that inform the way we deal with the troubles/issues we face every day?
• In what way has the message of the cross been shown to be ‘the power of God’ in your life?

Our reflection question this week was, “What area of your life do you need to give Jesus control of this Easter?”

Ask your Group members to reflect on this over the course of the next week or so; challenge them to identify one person they can trust to share this personal insight with and step toward trusting God with relinquishing control.

Take time to pray for each other: ask God to again show himself as the one who is FOR you. Ask him to search your hearts and reveal to you the areas where he wants to demonstrate his power in your life. 

Ask him to help you encourage one another as you get to seek God together.