Longing

“Longing for Peace”

Isaiah 52:7

1. Longing is a deep yearning in your soul:

for more

for better

for relationship

for ‘Shalom’

2. ‘Shalom’ is completeness and wholeness, a flourishing peace:

with God

with yourself

with the people around you

with creation

3. Advent is the anticipation of the coming of:

Good news (which is…)

Shalom (which comes through…)

Salvation (which comes through…)

Jesus the King (whose reign brings Shalom!)

The good news is that deep, abiding peace, the Shalom of God, comes from an ongoing, saving

relationship with Yeshua, the King who reigns forever!

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

1. In the sermon introduction, we were asked, "If you could say in one word what you want

more of in life, what would that be?" What was your answer?

2. When you think of peace, what song, slogan, image or moment in history comes into your

mind? What emotions or questions come to mind and why?

3. Review how ‘Shalom’ was defined/explained in point 2. What struck you about this biblical

idea of ‘shalom’?

4. Read Numbers 6:24-26, Isaiah 48:22, Jeremiah 33:6. What is the relationship between these

verses?

5. Read Isaiah 59:8. What is the relationship between justice and peace?

6. How should “Jesus is King” impact how we live our daily lives?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word and Prayer/Loving God

Longing for Hope

2 Timothy 4:8, Romans 15:13

Where do you find yourself today when it comes to hope?

Hopeless

We long for what once was

We long for what we had wanted

Hopeful

A word can speak life into our loss

An action can soothe our deepest disappointments

Hope-filled

God is the source

He longs for our trust so He can fill us to overflowing

He desires to fill us completely

We must empty ourselves

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Opening prayer time - begin with a few minutes of silence for each person to listen to God and invite Him into this moment, then open in prayer.

How do sales adds, pop up add, tv spots, etc create a longing in your for a certain product?  Do you watch commercials with an understanding of how marketing creates that type of longing in your heart?  Have you ever watched an ad and then find yourself desiring that product?

Read Romans 15:13. What ‘sources’, other than Jesus, have you tried to use to fill your life with hope? Be specific.

What were the results?

The passage of Romans speaks of being “completely filled” with joy and peace from our hope in Jesus. Can you describe a time in life when this has been true for you or someone you know?

How do you find your ultimate hope in Christ and not created things?  Do you long for Christ?  What situations around you do you need to surrender to the Lord in order to find the fullness of your hope in him alone?

Close your time praying for one another specifically in the areas where you need to “empty the cup” so that God can fill you to overflowing with hope

CHRIST-like Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word & Prayer, Spirit-led Servant,  Loving God/Living Surrendered

Giving Grace

“Passing the Test”

2 Corinthians 8:8-9

Test questions to ask yourself:

Do you give out of obedience?

Obeying out of obligation.

Obeying as an act of trust.

Do you give out of grace?

Being generous because God has been generous to you.

Giving out of gratitude for all God has given to you.

Do you give out of love?

Money proves what we love.

Money is a test.

What if everything you have is a test from God to see if you understand grace and discipleship?

 

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Read 2 Cor. 8:8. People respond to the idea of being “tested” differently. Some love it and some hate it. Some look for tests and others seek to avoid them at all costs. What is your general response to the ideaof being “tested”?

Give an example from any part of your life of “obeying out of obligation” and “obeying out of trust.” If you were to counsel someone who is currently obeying God out of obligation to begin to obey God out of trust, how would you counsel them to do that?

Have you ever felt led to give away money to someone? What were the circumstances? How did you feel afterwards?

Read Luke 18:18-25. List everything this passage tells us about the man and together create a profile for him. Feel free to look at Mark and Matthew’s version of the same story as well.

After you have done question 4, read Mark 10:22 and try to put into words what this man might have been thinking as he walked away “sad.”

After you have completed question 5, consider this question: Do you think he ever came back to follow Jesus? Why or why not?

Which category of giving best describes where you currently are: giving out of obedience, grace or love? Explain your answer.

 Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources/Living Surrendered

Giving Grace

Giving: From The Inside Out

2 Corinthians 8: 1 - 7

Introduction:  God's An Inside-Out God

To Give From The Inside-Out We Have To Know Grace

Grace - First Through Salvation Experience

Grace - Second Through Our Very Ongoing Existence

Grace Leads To Gratitude

Grace is the air we breathe in,

SO

Gratitude is the air we breathe out

Grace Leads To Gratitude and Gratitude Leads To Giving

We offer Him everything AND We offer Him our best

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

What is your salvation story of Grace and how has it affected you in your gratitude and your giving?

What is your understanding of Grace as it is given to us for our very source of existence?

Is this (question 2) and new understanding of Grace for you?

How does this understanding (and experience) of Grace affect you in your gratitude and your giving?

Do you connect giving as an inside-out activity?

In light of all who God is are you giving Him all of who you are?

Are you giving Him your best?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources/Living Surrendered

“Getting Grace”

2 Corinthians 8:3-5

Since ‘get’ means to receive and ‘get’ means to understand:

1. The more you get grace, the more you’ll want to give generously.

        Reasonable generosity is giving according to your ability.

        Rich generosity is giving beyond your ability.

2. The more you get grace, the more you’ll see giving as ministry.

        Grace opens our eyes to the needs all around us.

        Giving isn’t an obligation to fulfill, it’s an opportunity to serve in love.

        Giving is the natural response to a heart saturated in grace.

3. The more you get grace, the more you’ll want to live surrendered.

        Are you living a “I’ll give part of me” life?

        Are you living a “I’m giving all of me” life?

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

1. What is your typical response when you see someone with a sign begging for money?

2. What’s the difference between knowing about grace and experiencing grace?

3. Can you really understand grace but not receive it?

4. Review how ‘get’ is defined at the beginning of the outline. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being “not at all” and 10 being “fully and completely” how well would you say you “get” grace?

5. Why do so many people get uptight and defensive when the topic of giving our money comes up?

6. Which best describes you?

a. Not interested in giving

b. Give grudgingly

c. Give as an obligation

d. Willing to give

e. Give out of obedience

f. Love to give

g. Pleading to give

7. If the above seven (a.-g.) giving categories were levels of giving, and you found yourself best described by a,b,c or d, what would it take to move you into e, f or g?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources/Living Surrendered

Giving Grace

“Giving Like Jesus”

2 Corinthians 8:1-9

1. Being a disciple of Jesus includes learning to give like Jesus.

Jesus is generous.

Disciples are generous.

2. Learning to give like Jesus is learning to be generous.

Evaluating your generosity

How much do you need to be generous?

3. Learning to become generous comes from growing in grace.

Knowing about grace

Experiencing grace

Giving grace

4. Giving grace is the grace to give generously.

The grace you give to others.

The grace to give to others.

We can give generously because we have received generously.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Name a person you know that is generous then tell the group what it is about them that caused you to name them.

As a group, see if you can come up with a definition of generosity you can all agree on.

n point 2, we were invited to evaluate our generosity. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being a Scrooge and 10 being outrageously generous, where would you rate yourself?

Why is it so difficult to give when we are stressed by circumstances and bills and pressures?

Read Luke 21:1-4. How does the world define generous giving? How does Jesus define it? What can we learn from the widow’s example? How does this story and Jesus' observations relate to Sunday's sermon?

In our passage Paul is using examples of generosity (Jesus in v. 9 and the churches in Macedonia in v. 1-2) to illicit a response of generosity from the church in Corinth. Share an example (different from the first question) you have seen of generosity in the midst of trials and poverty.

How will this passage from 2 Corinthians 8 affect your own giving?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Trustworthy Steward of God’s Resources/Living Surrendered

“Known for this”

John 13:34-35

“this” is for disciples

“this” is about others

“this” is powerful

“this” is it

“this” is a love like Jesus

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am known by loving others just like Jesus.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

What is something you were known for growing up (i.e. shy, funny, troublemaker?

Have someone read John 13:34-35 out loud. First thoughts…What is God saying to you through this passage and/or Sundays message?

Do you consider yourself a convert or a disciple? What is the difference? How does your answer affect the seriousness of this passage on loving others?

How are you actively loving people in a way that they know you are a disciple of Jesus?

Read 1 John 4:19-21. Is there anyone in your life you have continued to remain angry with? According to the passage how has this affected your love for God? What are you going to do about it?

Practice makes perfect: As a group how many ways can you love one another before you close your time together? Do it!

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Relates with Other-Centered Love/Loving People

All You Need is Love

“Tough Love”

Psalm 107:10-15

God’s khesed love is the pattern for how we are to love others.

1. Be careful not to misunderstand what khesed love looks like.

Unfailing Love is not never failing to please.

Undeserved Kindness is not never saying anything painful.

Tenacious Commitment is not protecting from all consequences.

Enduring Faithfulness is not enabling toxic behavior.

Generous Mercy is not being a pushover.

2. Be careful to understand that khesed love includes tough love.

God will humble us because he loves us.

Tough love is love from the heart to change another’s heart

Sometimes the most loving thing is the most painful thing.

3. Be careful to understand what tough love looks like.

Doing what is best, even when it hurts

Speaking the truth in love

Allowing painful consequences

Refusing to enable toxic behavior

Confronting patterns of habitual sin

4. Be careful to understand your motive before you do “tough love.”

Ask God to search your heart

Ask God to fill your heart

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Did your parents practice tough love with you? If so, tell the group of a time when they did.

Read Revelation 3:14-22.  How is this a display of Jesus' 'tough love' for the church?  What result is he wanting from this message of confronting love?

Which of the “misunderstandings” of khesed love in point 1 have you/do you tend to drift into?

How does our practice of khesed love differ from God's? How is it similar?

How do we know when to practice tough love and when not to?

Many people have warped God’s Word on tough love to excuse abusive behavior on their part. Others dismiss God’s words as cruel and angry and fail to discipline at all. How do we find the balance?

Do you have the emotional intelligence to practice tough love?  How do you project your own problems and issues on others when you really need to first deal with them in your own life?  Jesus said you need to “remove the log from your own eye before seeking to remove the speck from your neighbors’...” Have you done that?

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Relates with Other-Centered Love/Loving People

All You Need is Love

“Love Stories”

Psalm 107

1. Pondering the goodness of God’s ‘khesed’ love

        Unfailing Love

        Undeserved Kindness

        Tenacious Commitment

        Enduring Faithfulness

        Generous Mercy

2. Pondering the pattern of people’s stories

        We find ourselves in trouble

        We cry out for help  

        God comes to our rescue  

        We thank God for His ‘khesed’ love

3. Pondering the stories of the way God loves

        The lost are rescued from their wilderness

        The imprisoned are freed from their chains

        The broken are healed by His Word

        The struggling are calmed by His presence

4. Learning from our pondering on the way God loves

        You can depend on the faithful love of God

        God’s love changes everything

        If God has redeemed you, tell your story

                             in worship, in witness, in discipleship

We will grow in wisdom as we depend on, ponder, and tell others of, the khesed love of God.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Your Life

1. There are thousands of “rescue” stories in literature and movies. Do you have a favorite? Tell your LifeGroup about it.

2. As a group review Psalm 107 and quickly identify as many of the metaphors used to describe the effects of rebellion against God as you can (sitting in darkness, wandering in a wasteland, etc.). Which one can you identify with the most? Explain why.

3. Take time as a group to tell your “love stories.” How has God redeemed your marriage, your addiction, your anger, rescued you, freed you, healed you, calmed you, etc.?

4. Review the pattern described in the four subpoints of point 2. If you had to write four stanzas of your own similar to Psalm 107, what would your life story be about? How have you found yourself in trouble, cried out for help, and been redeemed/rescued?

5. Review the four subpoints of point 3 (drawn from Psalm 107:4-30).  Would you say you are living in one of those stories right now (wandering, imprisoned, broken or struggling)? How so?

6. Read Psalm 107:2a. Pastor Jim ended the sermon challenging us to tell our story in our worship, in our witnessing, and as we are discipling others. Evaluate your worship, your witnessing and your discipling.

a. Worship: Do you skip the worship or are you just going through the motions or are you engaged with what you are singing?

b. Witnessing: Are you “doing the B’s” : Building relationships, bringing people, helping people belong, believe and become)? Or are you keeping your faith to yourself?

c. Discipleship: Are you intentionally being discipled or discipling others (in a DIG, Discipleship Intensive Group), or by leading a LifeGroup? If not, why not?

7. Action Step outside of LifeGroup: Do you make time to ponder the faithfulness and steadfast love of God? It is so easy to get caught up in running the rat race of this world and never make time for Jesus. It has to be intentional. Try starting or ending your day with 15 minutes pondering (and maybe journaling about) your walk with God and what He is teaching you

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Connected to God through the Word and Prayer/Loving God

All You Need is Love

“Love Changes Everything”

Psalm 117

What we need most is what God does best.

God’s “khesed” love is so deep and multi-faceted that it requires multiple phrases to convey its meaning.

1. Unfailing Love

On the worst day of your life, God loves you with a love that is greater and  stronger than whatever you’re going through.

2. Undeserved Kindness

When we find ourselves broken from our own sin, God treats us with a tender kindness that heals and restores us.

3. Tenacious Loyalty

When we’ve strayed into a comfortable idolatry, God chases us down with a fierce, persistent love and calls us back to Himself.

4. Enduring Faithfulness

Though we and the people around us love inconsistently, the faithful love of the Lord never wavers or ends.

5. Generous Mercy

When we fall into sin, God reaches down to us and offers a forgiveness that is rich in mercy.

The “khesed” love of God changes everything.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

What love story has captivated you in film or in a book?  How does the love expressed there compare or contrast to the love we have in Christ?

The Hebrew word “khesed” cannot be sufficiently translated or captured in English by one or two equivalent words; we explored five phrases, but still didn’t capture all of the meaning inherent in this wonderful word. But of the five phrases we did look at, which one is most meaningful to you? Why? Spend some time on this question, and if anyone is struggling with understanding one of the five, discuss it together so you each come to a clear understanding.

Has it been relatively easy or hard for you to grasp that God loves you as deeply and thoroughly as He does? Why?

How has God’s “khesed” love wooed you towards relationship to him? How have you been affected by this type of love?

God has lavished His love on us; we love because He first loved us! Choose a person you can focus on loving with God’s love this week.  Have your group help with ideas to express His love to them.

Close in prayer, asking God to reveal more of each of the facets of His “khesed” love to each of us.

CORE CHRISTlike Characteristic: Relates with Other-Centered Love/Loving People