Everybody worries. But we don’t have to worry. Tune in to learn about how to overcome worry with trust in the One who takes our worries upon Himself. // 1. Have you ever worried about something that didn’t end up coming true? What was that fear? How often do we worry about things that never come true? // 2. Does “do not worry” mean that we don’t need to work or plan in life? Is there a healthy and unhealthy way to be concerned about something? Read the following verses and talk about working, planning, and having good concerns that don’t turn into worry: Proverbs 6:6-11, Genesis 41:46-49, 53-57, 2 Corinthians 11:28. How can we tell when a hope, plan, or concern turns into worry? // 3. Read Philippians 4:6-7. What should we do when we worry? How does “petition/supplication” and “thanksgiving” help chase our worries away? What does God promise to give us if we take our worries to Him in prayer? // 4. Read Matthew 6:32. What does it mean when Jesus says that “Gentiles eagerly seek these things?” How is worry like living without God in our lives? How does the rest of v.32 help us not fall into the trap of worrying like the rest of our world?

Few things are more hotly debated in our culture today than the issues of gender, sex, and marriage. Surprisingly, most people want Jesus on their side of the argument. Find out what Jesus says about gender, sex, and marriage on this episode of What Jesus Said About Everything. // 1. Why do people—even non-Christians—want Jesus on their side when it comes to gender, sex, and marriage? How does Jesus bolster someone’s opinion if they think He’s on their side? Talk about this quote, especially the last part: “Conservatives want Jesus. Progressives want Jesus. I’ve even seen atheists appeal to Jesus. Everyone wants Jesus on their side…as long as you get to limit who Jesus actually is.” // 2. Read Matthew 19:1-4. The Pharisees were asking about divorce, so why did Jesus feel the need to go all the way back to Genesis with Adam and Eve? How does vv.5-6 answer the Pharisees original question about divorce? What is Jesus showing us about gender, sex, and marriage by going all the way back to Creation in Genesis? // 3. How does sin warp our view of ourselves—like a carnival mirror? How does sin create in us insecurities about our bodies and our gender? If there was no sin, would there be eating disorders, body image issues, and mental illness? Read Psalm 139:13-15, then Genesis 3:7 and Proverbs 14:12. How do these passages explain how God created us male and female, but how sin warps and breaks our self-image and inner identity? // 4. How does our culture promote sex as cheap, easy, and casual? But how does our culture react when there is a sexual crime or allegation, like Harvey Weinstein—do they respond casually or seriously? How does this show our world’s confusion with whether sex is casual or serious? Is it better to have a cheap view of sex, or a valuable view of sex?

People do terrible things to each other in this world, and forgiveness seems impossible. But not to Jesus. Listen in as we consider how greatly we’ve been forgiven in Him, so that we can now offer great forgiveness to others. // 1. Go watch the video "The Riches of His Grace: Ike Brown's Story" on Vimeo. How was what happened to Ike’s son “unforgiveable?” How was he still able to forgive his son’s murderer? Does this show that forgiveness is a feeling or a choice? // 2. Read the following verses. Talk about how our ability to forgive others flows from how God has forgiven us in Jesus: Psalm 103:10-12, Luke 23:34, Ephesians 4:32, 1 John 1:9 // 3. If we only forgive when we feel like it, how will that limit our forgiveness? Can we say we forgive someone, but not really forgive them? // 4. In Matthew 18:35, it says that God will do to us what the King does to his servant if we don’t forgive “from the heart.” Does this mean if we don’t forgive someone, we’re going to hell? Or is there a difference between a moment of unforgiveness verses an attitude of unforgiveness? What does an attitude of unforgiveness reveal about our hearts that God will hold us accountable for?

In 1996, Disney created a fairytale-come-true in the town of Celebration, Florida. But its citizens quickly found out all is not what it seemed. Tune in this episode to learn how what Jesus said about human sinfulness goes much deeper than we'd like to admit. // 1. List some crimes people commit. Underneath each crime, list a “root” issue or sin that might cause someone to commit that crime. For example, under “murder” you might write “anger” or “hatred.” What are the common heart-motives for why people do bad things? // 2. Create a definition for sin. Look up a few verses together to shape your definition: James 1:14-15, James 4:17, Genesis 4:7, Romans 6:23 // 3. Read Mark 7:6-8. What is Jesus telling the Pharisees they’re doing wrong? How do we sometimes do this as Christians? How can we make sure that we don’t fall into this same rut that the Pharisees did? // 4. Ultimately, how does God fix our sin-sick hearts? Read Titus 3:3-7. Focus on words like “washing... rebirth... renewal” in v.5. Are we saved by following rules and doing good stuff, or something better? How should we praise God for this truth?

Everyone loves love! But if we’re being honest, we’re not as good at love as we think we are. We love good things in bad ways and love bad things in sinful ways. We need Someone who can help us rightly order our loves. Thankfully, that person is Jesus, the one who loved perfectly. // 1. How would most people in our world today define “love?” Is it just a feeling for most people? Is it more than a feeling? // 2. List in two columns: Good things people love and Bad things people love. List some things that go under each. Do some of those “good things” become bad things if we love them too much? Why do people love bad things that hurt themselves or hurt others? Is it really “love” if someone is getting hurt? // 3. Read John 15:9-12. How do we make sure we’re “remaining in God’s love?” How does obedience bring us “joy?” Isn’t obeying God hard or boring? // 4. Read Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. What did Solomon love? Did he have any order or restraint to his love? How did he feel about the things he thought he loved after all was said and done? (vv.10-11) What does this teach us about what we love? How do we make sure we don’t love the wrong things or people? How does loving God most help us put these things into perspective?

When we consider what Jesus said about, well, everything, we need to start with what He said about Himself. If Jesus is who He said He is, then we must listen to what He says about everything — because there’s no one with a higher authority than God Himself. // 1. What kind of authorities would you go ask for help in the following situations: Help with homework • Want to buy a house • Want to learn a new instrument • Leak in your basement • Computer is broken • Your ankle hurts • Why does asking the right kind of authority matter? What could happen if you ask the wrong kind of authority, or someone who has no knowledge of what to do? // 2. Read John 10:24-25. What are the “works done in My Father’s name” that Jesus has done? What do those works prove? If you saw Jesus do works like that, what would you think about Him? // 3. Read John 10:27-30. What assurance does Jesus give His sheep? (us as Christians) How does this make you feel? When you begin to doubt that you’re saved, or that you’ll go to Heaven after you die, why are these good verses to return to? // 4. C.S. Lewis said that Jesus was either “a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. What does each of those 3 options mean? Could Jesus be just a “good teacher” or “good example?” Why or why not? Which do you think He is? Why do people not want to accept that Jesus is God?

In this episode, we tackle one of the most bizarre passages in Scripture: the story of Elisha the prophet, some rowdy boys, and a bear attack. What does it all mean? Tune in to find out. // 1. Have you ever gotten in trouble with someone in authority? (not your parents) What happened? Who was in authority over the situation? How did it turn out? // 2. Read 2 Kings 2:23-25. What is shocking about this story? What is this story not about? Is God terrible for sending bears to attack these boys? // 3. Read Leviticus 26:21-22. Why did God give this warning? Is God fair to have given Israel this warning ahead of time? Even if God had left those boys alone, would they have still been in eternal, spiritual danger? // 4. Read the following verses about youthfulness in the Bible: Exodus 20:12, Proverbs 22:15, 1 Timothy 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:1-4. What does this tell us about being young? Are we more likely to be obedient or rebellious by default? How does this show us what’s wrong with the boys of this story? How can we as young Christians be different?

God takes our words much more seriously than we do. In this episode we turn to Jesus’ words in Luke 6:43-45 to find help and hope for raising the bar when it comes to the words we speak. // 1. Share about a time when your words got you in trouble. Did you mouth-off to your parents? Did you hurt a friend’s feelings? Did you curse in front of someone? How did your words turn into a bad situation? // 2. Re-read Luke 6:43-45. What does Jesus mean by “trees” and “fruit” here? Is he talking about actual trees and fruit, or something else? Why is the “fruit” of your life important to consider? What does that tell you about your own heart? // 3. Read Ephesians 4:29. What does your Bible use for the adjective of “words” – unwholesome/corrupt/foul/abusive? Is this just talking about cuss words, or more? How does the term building up/edifying challenge us to leave other types of talk like gossip, sarcasm, and insults behind? // 4. How does Jesus’ example of His words impact us as Christians? How did He speak to different groups of people? Even when He was mad, how did He speak? Perhaps His most stunning words were on the cross: “Father, forgive them [those who put Jesus to death], for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Think about those words and how they go against every instinct we have as humans. Ask God to give you the same grace with your words.

In our series finale, let’s turn up the heat and learn how 3 men who stood for God before an evil king found out they weren’t standing alone. // 1. Have you ever felt pressured to do something by friends before? Maybe it was something silly, like a dare, or serious, like breaking a rule. How did you feel in that moment? Was it easy or hard to resist peer-pressure? How did the situation end? // 2. Read Daniel 3:1-7. How big of a worship gathering is this for Nebuchadnezzar’s statue? Why was the punishment so serious for refusing to worship the statue? What was the easier choice: bow-down and worship, or be thrown into the fire? What does that say about the choice to follow God—is it usually easy or hard? // 3. Our world, especially America, demands that everyone “bow down” and “worship” certain things in our society. Can you think of anything in American culture that demands our support and submission? List them out. What happens to Christians who disagree with those things? // 4. Read 2 Timothy 2:8-13. Remember: Paul is currently in prison for his faith as he writes this letter. What are the encouragements and promises? What are the warnings? How does this and Daniel 3 help us endure in a hostile world today?

If God were to wrestle a human, who do you think would win? You might be surprised at the answer Genesis 32 gives us. This theophany has some surprises and plot-twists in store — join us this episode ring-side for a fight of biblical proportions. // 1. Have you ever tried to get something you really wanted? Maybe it was a toy, a game, or a piece of technology. Did you end up getting it? Did you have to work hard for it? Did you rely on yourself or ask for someone’s help? // 2. All throughout Jacob’s life, he tried to get what he wanted by his own cleverness and ability. What should we admire about that? What should we be careful not to imitate? Look at Genesis 27:41 (Esau), Genesis 29:31-33 (his wives), and Genesis 31:1-2 (Laban) to see the carnage Jacob left in his path. // 3. Read Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 26:24. Why did God bless Abraham and Isaac: because they deserved it or because God is gracious? So did Jacob need to wrestle with God for his blessing? What was God trying to teach Jacob by wrestling him? // 4. Read Luke 11:11-12 and James 1:17. Is it wrong to ask for blessings from God? How did Jacob show us how not to gain blessings from God? Why does God bless us: because we deserve it or because He is gracious? How does this give us patience and contentment in our lives today?