King Me | David (Discussion Guide)

This Guide is available for download as a .pdf here.

Life Group Discussion Guide :: Sunday, March 17, 2013 (JXG) 

Sandy Lake Wesleyan :: Pastor Shawn

King Me | David (Week 2)

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.

From Last Week (King Me, wk 1 | Saul):

Read 1 Samuel 8:4-7

How were the people rejecting God as King?

What reason do the people give for wanting a king?

How can we do the same thing? 

Do you think in searching for our own kings, we can reject God, too? How can we avoid that?

Read 1 Samuel 10:1

How do we see God allowing a leader but retaining Kingship for Himself?

Why is this significant?

Read 1 Samuel 11:12-15

Samuel recognizes and affirms a kingship--who’s is it (hint, it isn’t Saul’s)?

Why is it significant that the people confirm Saul ‘as king in the presence of the LORD.’

Read 1 Samuel 12:16-19

What sticks out to you as part of this rebuke from Samuel?

How was ‘asking for a king’ an evil thing?

How do we see God’s desire for us to choose him in this and other passages?

Why is this a sign of God’s sovereignty and love?

How does this change the way we understand the people’s rejection of God as King?

“Israel ultimately kinged themselves...taking authority which should have been God’s alone and assuming it as their own.”

We do the same thing of making what God is doing more about ourselves than God. How can we maintain a focus on who God is, what he is doing, and what he desires?

How do we do this when it not only means possibly missing out on 

                personal benefit but can be tremendously costly?

“If you add anything to Jesus as a requirement for being happy, that’s your real king.” ~ Tim Keller

How did this resonate with you? What part of this did you resist--how is that resistance evidence of yearning for more than Jesus? What have you ‘added to the happiness equation’ in your life? 

This Week:

Read Romans 7:15 & 19 

Have you ever experienced this struggle? How did you navigate a time(s) like the conversation Paul shares here? What is the hope found within the context of this passage?

Read 1 Samuel 17:32-37

What is significant to you in this passage?

What is the significance of David’s insistence that God, not David, will fight the battle before him.

“In everything He did, David had great success because God was with him.”

What does this have to do with the matter of submission to God’s authority in our lives?

How do we remain in a position of living under God’s favor rather than pursuing our own authority/glory/leadership?

Read 2 Samuel 5:1-5

The ‘gap’ between David’s anointing as king and stepping into that role is significant (twenty years-ish). What does this speak to you about waiting for God’s promise? What else seems significant to you in this passage--what is God calling you to do with that insight/observation?

Read 2 Samuel 11:1-3

How do we see that David ‘neglected his duty?’ 

What are ways we can be found not doing our duty (the things God asks/leads us to do)? (See below for further discussion on the cycle seen in this passage.)

Read John 14:21 

What is evidence of our love for God? What happens when we love God?

Pastor Shawn unpacked the cycle of love-trust-obey-know seen in John 14:21 and how we can compromise in any of these. We discussed the following three factors:, and discussed the three factors that line up to create a day ripe with opportunity to fall--we called them a DOT day:

Desire (shifting love for desire) | We can determine love or desire by asking, “Who does this say I love”

Opportunity (creating an opportunity to fulfill our desire) | We can determine trust or desire by asking, “Who’s agenda am I following?”

Time (making/dedicating time to fulfill our desire) | We cand determine obedience or dedicating time by asking, “Who’s authority am I under?”

“We reveal our true king by what we do today.” What does this mean? What is God revealing to you about kingship in your life? What does it look like to position Him as King through what you do today?

We were asked, “What is one thing you can do this week to avoid a DOT day?” Answer this question with your Group--take time to pray for each other and hold one another accountable to what is identified.

This Week's Discussion Guide

This Guide is available for download as a .pdf here.

Life Group Discussion Guide :: Sunday, March 10, 2013 (JXG) 

Sandy Lake Wesleyan :: Pastor Shawn

King Me | Saul (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.

From Last Week (Truth & Dare, week 5 | Submission):

“There are four influences that we allow to shape the way we live:

God | Others | Enemy | Self

We segment and divide how much influence any of these may have in us.

:: How have you seen this in your life?

:: What Scriptural examples can you think of that illustrate some of these?

:: How can we tell which of these has primary influence in our lives?

Pastor Shawn shared the following Seven Realities which have an impact on the way we submit to the authority of God/Scripture in our lives (how have you seen each of these play out in your life/the lives around you? What is the call to us in each of these principles?):

1. What we value determines how we live.
   ~ We don’t pursue what we don’t value. How can we tell what we value?
   ~ Read John 14:15 -- what does this say to us about pursuit, value, and authority?
2. We give authority to what we value.
   ~ Value creates influence, influence is authority.
   ~ Read John 21:15-17 -- what does this say about influence, authority, and what we value?
3. Who we give authority to determines what we do.
   ~ What examples from Peter’s life did Pastor Shawn use to illustrate this? Can you think of other examples in life/Scripture that show the same principle?
4. Going first takes courage
   ~ Living out the Bible is increasingly seen as ‘wrong’ in our culture… so how can we have the courage to live this out?
   ~ Read Matthew 14:25-30 -- how does this passage show us this truth?
5. Our lack of understanding limits our readiness to engage in the things God wants us t0.
6. God wants to be caught more than taught--He values pursuit more than knowledge.
   ~ What are symptoms we value knowing more than pursuing? How can we know we’re chasing after him?
7. Personal surrender is ‘table stakes’
   ~ Our salvation gets us ‘in the game’ but running and winning the race takes sacrifice and cost.
   ~ Read & discuss James 4:6b-10 --what is the call to greater submission?

This week:

Pastor Shawn said, “We’re all looking for a king.” What do you think he meant by that? How do you see this in your own life? In those around you?

Read 1 Samuel 8:4-7

How were the people rejecting God as King?

What reason do the people give for wanting a king?

How can we do the same thing? 

Do you think in searching for our own kings, we can reject God, too? How can we avoid that?

Read 1 Samuel 10:1

How do we see God allowing a leader but retaining Kingship for Himself?

Why is this significant?

Read 1 Samuel 11:12-15

Samuel recognizes and affirms a kingship--who’s is it (hint, it isn’t Saul’s)?

Why is it significant that the people confirm Saul ‘as king in the presence of the LORD.’

Read 1 Samuel 12:16-19

What sticks out to you as part of this rebuke from Samuel?

How was ‘asking for a king’ an evil thing?

How do we see God’s desire for us to choose him in this and other passages?

Why is this a sign of God’s sovereignty and love?

How does this change the way we understand the people’s rejection of God as King?

“Saul’s biggest issue is that he didn’t have a heart for God...Israel’s choice of him as king revealed they didn’t have a heart for God either.”

How do our choices of who has influence in our lives reveal our heart?

What are ways we can discover if we have a heart for God?

“Israel ultimately kinged themselves...taking authority which should have been God’s alone and assuming it as their own.”

We do the same thing of making what God is doing more about ourselves than God. How can we maintain a focus on who God is, what he is doing, and what he desires?

How do we do this when it not only means possibly missing out on
                personal benefit but can be tremendously costly?

“If you add anything to Jesus as a requirement for being happy, that’s your real king.” ~ Tim Keller

How did this resonate with you? What part of this did you resist--how is that resistance evidence of yearning for more than Jesus? What have you ‘added to the happiness equation’ in your life? Pray with one another as a Group that the Holy Spirit would reveal to each of you what true king you have followed and how to seek him first and foremost. How can you affirm Christ as King individually and as a Group?

This Week's Discussion Guide

This guide is available for download as a .pdf here.

Life Group Discussion Guide :: Sunday, March 3, 2013 (JXG) 

Sandy Lake Wesleyan :: Pastor Shawn

Truth & Dare | Submission (Week 5)

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.

From Last Week (Truth & Dare, week 4 | Unity):

Pastor Nate asked, what are some things a person could do to cause division in a church? 

:: What were some things the people in your Group came up with?

:: Do you think it was helpful to identify some of these things? Why or why not?

Read John 17:20-23

:: Why is it significant that Jesus prayed all of his later followers would be ‘one?’

:: What is ‘complete unity?’

:: What do you think this looks like in how we live and interact today?

:: This is part of Jesus’ prayer immediately before his arrest and eventual crucifixion--how does this lend a sense of urgency and purpose to Jesus’ prayer?

“The world will know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God...that God loves them by our unity.”

:: What are other things we tend to treat as more important than unity?

:: If we are not united, what happens to the other vehicles of ministry?

Pastor Nate asked, what can we do to promote unity?

:: What were some things people in your Group came up with in response to this question?

:: As we seek to know and love Christ more, we will grow in passion for what he is passionate about. How are His passions for unity and those who don’t know him connected?

Last week’s truth:

Our ability to live as one & be a unifier is more about our relationship with Christ than one another. -- What is the inherent call in this truth?

:: Read Ephesians 4:1-3

Why is the phrase, “make every effort” important here? How do we do this? 

:: Read Colossians 3:12-14 | What are examples of how we can live this out?

:: Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a | How does the fact that ‘God is love’ impact the way we read this passage? |  How should the fact that ‘love always...perseveres’ change the way we interact with each other and pursue unity?

Read John 15:9-14 | What is the command here? Why is it significant that this is a command, not just a suggestion or principle? What are ways we easily find ourselves living in rebellion against Jesus in this area?

This Week:

We were reminded of the Truth & Dare Series’ opening question--”What is the Bible to you?”

:: What do you think some of the answers are to this that others might give?

:: Has your answer changed at all over the course of this series?

“There are four influences that we allow to shape the way we live:

God | Others | Enemy | Self

We segment and divide how much influence any of these may have in us.

:: How have you seen this in your life?

:: What Scriptural examples can you think of that illustrate some of these?

:: How can we tell which of these has primary influence in our lives?

Pastor Shawn shared the following Seven Realities which have an impact on the way we submit to the authority of God/Scripture in our lives (how have you seen each of these play out in your life/the lives around you? What is the call to us in each of these principles?):

What we value determines how we live.

~ We don’t pursue what we don’t value. How can we tell what we value?

~ Read John 14:15 -- what does this say to us about pursuit, value, and authority?

We give authority to what we value.

~ Value creates influence, influence is authority.

~ Read John 21:15-17 -- what does this say about influence, authority, and what we value?

Value creates influence, influence is authority.

~ Read John 21:15-17 -- what does this say about influence, authority, and what we value?

Who we give authority to determines what we do.

~ What examples from Peter’s life did Pastor Shawn use to illustrate this? Can you think of other examples in life/Scripture that show the same principle?

Going first takes courage

~ Living out the Bible is increasingly seen as ‘wrong’ in our culture…so how can we have the courage to live this out?

~ Read Matthew 14:25-30 -- how does this passage show us this truth?

Our lack of understanding limits our readiness to engage in the things God wants us t0.

God wants to be caught more than taught--He values pursuit more than knowledge. 

~ What are symptoms we value knowing more than pursuing? How can we know we’re chasing after him?

~ What are symptoms we value knowing more than pursuing? How can we know we’re chasing after him?

Personal surrender is ‘table stakes’

~ Our salvation gets us ‘in the game’ but running and winning the race takes sacrifice and cost.

~ Read & discuss James 4:6b-10--what is the call to greater submission?

Our challenge is to desire God -- how can you and your Group spur oneanother on in this pursuit? What does it look like to do this together? Take time to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what he desires in this area.

This Week's Discussion Guide

This Guide is available for download as a .pdf here.

Life Group Discussion Guide :: Sunday, February 17, 2013 (JXG) 

Sandy Lake Wesleyan :: Pastor Nate

Truth & Dare | Unity (Week 4)

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.

From Last Week (Truth & Dare, week 3 | Conflict):

Read Matthew 18:15-20

:: How can we tell this passage is more about bringing people back into right relationship with God than ‘clearing the air’?

:: Why do you think Jesus gives us the progression of ‘one-on-one’ to ‘two or three’ to ‘assembly’? How does the desire for relationship with God change the tone of how we interact with this?

:: Why is the promise of Jesus’ presence significant here?

:: What is significant about the promise of heaven’s authority in these matters (binding/loosing)?

Read Proverbs 6:16-20

:: How does this shows us the significance God places on unity?

:: Why is it significant that God hates these actions, not the people doing them?

:: Why are we tempted to minimize some of the things in this list? Why do you think we’re so comfortable with other things being listed here?

“How we handle conflict & our human relationships is more about relationship with God than with each other.”

:: What Scriptural truths can you think of which help illustrate this?

:: How have you seen this reality in your own life?

:: Have you ever tried to ‘fix’ a human relationship without first making sure your relationship with God was right? What was the result? 

:: How does misunderstanding this result in setting the wrong relational goals?

We were challenged to ask the question: 

What relationship in my life is in need of restoration?

Pray with your Group that the Holy Spirit would reveal to them what these relationships are and give courage to take next steps.

We were challenged with this dare:

:: Pray for the authority & presence of Jesus

How does this change our perspective and interaction with others?

:: Start a dialogue with the other person

Pray for each other for wisdom and courage to do this.

:: Refuse to stir up conflict

How can you lovingly encourage others to go to the other person rather than speaking about them?

This Week:

Pastor Nate asked, what are some things a person could do to cause division in a church? 

:: What were some things the people in your Group came up with?

:: Do you think it was helpful to identify some of these things? Why or why not?

Read John 17:20-23

:: Why is it significant that Jesus prayed all of his later followers would be ‘one?’

:: What is ‘complete unity?’

:: What do you think this looks like in how we live and interact today?

:: This is part of Jesus’ prayer immediately before his arrest and eventual crucifixion--how does this lend a sense of urgency and purpose to Jesus’ prayer?

“The world will know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God...that God loves them by our unity.”

:: What are other things we tend to treat as more important than unity?

:: If we are not united, what happens to the other vehicles of ministry?

Pastor Nate asked, what can we do to promote unity?

:: What were some things people in your Group came up with in response to this question?

:: As we seek to know and love Christ more, we will grow in passion for what he is passionate about. How are His passions for unity and those who don’t know him connected?

This week’s truth:

Our ability to live as one & be a unifier is more about our relationship with Christ than one another.

:: What is the inherent call to us in this truth?

:: Read Ephesians 4:1-3

Why is the phrase, “make every effort” important here? How do we do this? 

:: Read Colossians 3:12-14

What are examples of how we can live this out?

:: Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

How does the fact that ‘God is love’ impact the way we read this passage?

How should the fact that ‘love always...perseveres’ change the way we interact with each other and pursue unity?

Read John 15:9-14

What is the command here? Why is it significant that this is a command, not just a suggestion or principle? What are ways we easily find ourselves living in rebellion against Jesus in this area?

This week’s dare:

Pray to be in Christ | Love as He has loved us -- how can you help your Group receive and live this? Pray for one another as you continue to journey in accepting these Truth & Dare next steps.

Truth & Dare | Conflict (Discussion Guide)

Note: this Guide is available for download as a .pdf here.

Life Group Discussion Guide :: Sunday, February 17, 2013 (JXG) 

Sandy Lake Wesleyan :: Pastor Jeremiah

Truth & Dare | Conflict (Week 3)

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.

From Last Week (Truth & Dare, week 2):

Read Matthew 5:33-37 

:: How is this an issue of character?

:: What is the danger of seeing this passage simply as a matter of behavior modification?

:: In what ways do you see living according to this brings great freedom?

:: How does this show us our role in either closing the door to dysfunction or inviting greater dysfunction?

:: How does this effect every relationship we’re part of?

Jesus makes it clear that the evil one doesn’t want our ‘yes’ to be ‘yes’ and our ‘no’ to be ‘no.’

:: In what ways have you seen Satan use a disconnect between our ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to create division or confusion?

This is a great example of how the power of truth can immobilize the enemy. What are ways to gently speak the truth in love and preserve relationship?

Read Galatians 3:9-10

:: What are some of the ways we’re tempted to lie to each other?

:: How is lying within the Body of Christ a sign of much deeper dysfunction than simple word choice?

:: How can we convince ourselves this is a suggestion for interaction more than a command for living?

Some statistics:

:: The average person begins to tell lies between ages 2-3

:: When meeting new people, the average person will like 2-3 times in 1o mins

:: Most people lie about 4 times a day = 1,460 lies/yr

:: Average # of lies/day: Men = 6, Women = 3

:: Most common lie told by both: “Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.”

What do Jesus’ words have to do with even the little, seemingly positive lies? How can we break the cycle of lies in our lives and around us?

The three most common reasons people lie:

:: To make ourselves look good.

:: To get out of trouble.

:: To avoid hurting someone else’s feelings.

This Week:

Read Matthew 18:15-20

:: How can we tell this passage is more about bringing people back into right relationship with God than ‘clearing the air’?

:: Why do you think Jesus gives us the progression of ‘one-on-one’ to ‘two or three’ to ‘assembly’? How does the desire for relationship with God change the tone of how we interact with this?

:: Why is the promise of Jesus’ presence significant here?

:: What is significant about the promise of heaven’s authority in these matters (binding/loosing)?

Read Proverbs 6:16-20

:: How does this shows us the significance God places on unity?

:: Why is it significant that God hates these actions, not the people doing them?

:: Why are we tempted to minimize some of the things in this list? Why do you think we’re so comfortable with other things being listed here?

“How we handle conflict & our human relationships is more about relationship with God than with each other.”

:: What Scriptural truths can you think of which help illustrate this?

:: How have you seen this reality in your own life?

:: Have you ever tried to ‘fix’ a human relationship without first making sure your relationship with God was right? What was the result? 

:: How does misunderstanding this result in setting the wrong relational goals?

We were challenged to ask the question: 

What relationship in my life is in need of restoration?

Pray with your Group that the Holy Spirit would reveal to them what these relationships are and give courage to take next steps.

We were challenged with this dare:

:: Pray for the authority & presence of Jesus

How does this change our perspective and interaction with others?

:: Start a dialogue with the other person

Pray for each other for wisdom and courage to do this.

:: Refuse to stir up conflict

How can you lovingly encourage others to go to the other person rather than speaking about them?

Pray for each other as you accept this ‘dare;’ ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where you/your Group members have misplaced focus on human relationships. This is a ripe opportunity to ‘call each other to more’--be sure to take advantage of it.