Church of The Open Door

“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

Finish Strong

“With You”

2 Timothy 4:22

No one else can give you what only God can give you.

When you’re “running the race:”

                   You’re never alone; the Lord is with you.

                   You’re never too weak; the Lord will strengthen you.

                   There’s no need to fear; the Lord will deliver you.

                   There’s plenty of help; God’s grace is with you.

When God’s grace is with you, it’s His:

                   loving kindness upon your life

                   generous forgiveness when you sin

                  sustaining, sovereign work in your life

                  enabling power helping you live

You can finish strong because God is always with you.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Your Life

Name 3 people from history you’d want to be with on a deserted island. Name 3 you wouldn’t want to be with. Why is it that “who you’re with” changes your perspective about your situation?

Describe a time when you were feeling alone, and then realized the Lord’s presence with you. How did his presence change everything about your situation?

Review the four truths under point 1 (when you’re ‘running the race’). Now think about the season you are in in your life these days. Which is of those four truths is the most helpful to you right now? Consider writing it down and putting it in a place where you can regularly see it.

The name Immanuel means “God with us.” Do you believe God is with you (present) right now? Explain your answer.

Review the four characteristics of grace under point 2. Which of these is the most meaningful to you? Why?

What is one of the greatest challenges you are currently facing? How would the reality of God’s presence change your outlook on that situation?

As another way of applying the sermon, try this exercise: every day this week ask God to help you find another person to whom you can then say these words: "The Lord be with you" either in parting or in a prayer for them.  Do it for one week and see what happens!!

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

Finishing Strong

“Friends That Help Us Finish Strong”

2 Timothy 4:9-21

“The only way to have a friend is to be one.”

Five kinds of friends to help us finish strong:

1. Sticky Friends

Friends who refuse to give up on you even when you feel like giving up on you.

2. Helpful Friends

Friends who you can count on to help you in your time of need.

3. Ministry Friends

Friends with whom you have seen God do great things.

4. Encouraging Friends

Friends who refresh you, lift you up, and strengthen you.

5. Intimate Friends

Friends who know us better and love us more than anyone else.

You can make these kinds of friends in the 3 ways Paul did:

1. Do discipleship together: Join a Discipleship Intensive Group (DIG)

2. Share life together: Join a LifeGroup

3. Do ministry together: Join a ministry team

God wants us to run the race and finish the race…together.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Your Life

1.  Did you have a best friend growing up? Are you still in touch with any of the “best friends”

you had growing up?

2.  Review the Five kinds of Friends that help us finish strong. Do you have a friend that fits one

of those categories or perhaps two friends that represent two of the categories? Three? Four?

Five? Name them.

3.  Take the time to think through the names in the previous question. What about them

impacted you the most?

4.  Ever been deserted by someone?  Have you dealt with the hurt or just carried it with you? 

Share, open up and allow your group to help you in the healing.  How can you take positive

steps to heal or maybe even reconcile?

5.  How is your life and friendship helping someone else finish strong?

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

Finishing Strong

“Get Back Up”

2 Timothy 4:7-12

The Christian life is a race that we must finish.

Starting well in the race

Family and friends

Ministry experiences

Solid teaching

Growing in grace

If it’s not the grace race then it’s the wrong race.

Falling down in the race

Deserted

Failed

Rejected

Blamed

Finishing strong in the race

Get back up

Stand up in the grace of God

Breathe in the grace of God

Get back in the race

You can’t run the race without learning to breathe God’s grace.

 

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Lives

Have you ever had a (funny or not) “fail” in sports or work or school that was unfortunately seen by others?

Read Acts 13:13 (and remember Acts 12:12 helps us see John is John Mark). What are some reasons you think may have contributed to Mark’s leaving Paul and Barnabas and going back home to Jerusalem?

Read Acts 15:35-41. How do you think the people in the church at Antioch felt as they witnessed the argument over Mark between Paul and Barnabas?

We described how Mark “fell” in his race: he deserted Paul, he failed Barnabas, he was rejected by Paul and then was blamed by some for Paul and Barnabas’ breakup. All of us have fallen and there are thousands of ways to “fall.” Are you willing to share any of your “falls” with your group? If so, do so knowing God’s grace is purposely designed for those of us who fall. So as you share, include in your story how you “got back up and stood” in the grace of God.

Read Acts 15:38, 2 Timothy 4:10, 16. Most of the sermon was geared towards Mark’s failure and getting back up, but Paul also experienced pain, the pain of being deserted by Mark and Demas. Most of us have faced being deserted or betrayed by a friend. Share a time when you first experienced being "deserted" as Paul described. How did you work through it?

Perhaps you’ve fallen and are having a hard time getting back up. Is there something the people in your LifeGroup could help you with?

 

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Spirit-led Servant/Living Surrendered

Finishing Strong

“What You Need to Finish Strong”

2 Timothy 4:6-8

In order to finish strong, you need:

     1. A right perspective of your present

                  I’m here to pass the baton

                  I’m here temporarily

                  I’m here to live surrendered

                  I’m here to glorify God

     2. An honest appraisal of your past

                  Life is a battle that we must fight

                                     Have I been fighting or have I gone AWOL?

                  Life is a race that we run to finish

                                     Have I been running or have I gotten off track?

                 Life is a trust and we must be faithful

                                      Have I been a steward or a consumer?

     3. A confident expectation for your future

                Put your faith in Jesus

                Fix your hope on Jesus

                Fall in love with Jesus

Finishing strong is more likely to happen when you have decided to do so ahead of time.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Describe a time in your life when you poured all your effort and energy into something and saw it to the end: finishing strong.  What did you feel like during the process and after it was all accomplished?

Read 2 Timothy 4:7. How can you relate to Paul's reference of the Christian walk being like a fight, a race, and a trust to keep?  Which illustration most speaks to your experience?

Read 2 Timothy 4:3-6. Notice how after Paul challenges Timothy in v. 5 to live in contrast to those of vv. 3-4, he then contrasts his own life with that of Timothy’s, saying in effect “I’m about to die, but you keep going, endure hardship, don’t give up, I’m passing the baton to you now.”  Now, think of your walk with Christ as being in a relay race: who “passed the baton” to you and who are you “passing the baton” to? How intentional have those transitions of “passing the baton” been?

Read 2 Timothy 4:6. How often do you contemplate your death? How does facing the reality of your death help you consider how you will ‘finish”?

Read v. 7. Paul refers to our walk with Christ as a ‘fight’. What battles have you faced where you feel you have failed? What battles has Jesus helped you overcome? Take time as a group to discuss these. Don’t rush.

How has your mentor or other men and women of God in your life finished well? What have they done to finish strong all the way to the end?

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