Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Philippians 3:8-12 - ...For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Psalm 34:8 - Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!

Psalm 42:1 - As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 5:6-7 and Philippians 3:8-12

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. How would you respond to someone who says, “I don’t really hunger and thirst for righteousness.”?
   

3. What are some practical ways a believer can increase their appetite for spiritual things?
   

4. Jesus said the hungry and thirsty will be satisfied. What does this satisfaction actually look like in the life of a believer today?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Philippians 2:3-8 - Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Congratulations to the poor in spirit, you have the kingdom of heaven!

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 5:5 & Psalm 37:1-11

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Why do we find unbiblical definitions of meekness either unappealing (e.g., it’s weakness) or more appealing (e.g., it’s strength under control) than the definition presented during the message?
   

3. Do you find the definition presented during the message unappealing? If yes, why? Utilizing Philippians 2:3-8, how would you define meekness?
   

4. Why is genuine meekness essential to hungering for righteousness?
   

5. What is one characteristic of meekness that you can commit to cultivating this week (Psalm 37:1-11)?

Breakout
Pray that the Lord will impress on you the imperative to be meek, and that as a congregation we will be committed to Biblical meekness.

Revelation 21:4 - He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Romans 7:24-25 - Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

James 4:8-10 - Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

2 Corinthians 7:10 - For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

→ You Repent without Regret.

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 5:4 & James 4:8-10

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What exactly does it mean to “mourn” over your sin? Why is mourning necessary?
   

3. What would you say to someone that says “I’ve never mourned over my sin. And I don’t really see why I need to!”
   

4. How does God comfort those who mourn? What does that look like?
   

5. Read 2 Corinthians 7:10. Explain the difference between worldly grief and godly grief. What does it mean that worldly grief brings death?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...

James 2:10 - For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

Luke 18:9-14 - He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Congratulations to the poor in spirit, you have the kingdom of heaven!

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 5:1-3 & Luke 18:9-14

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? How do we become poor in spirit?
   

3. “... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What is the significance of Jesus using the word IS? How would you explain this to a young child asking what it means that we get the “kingdom of heaven”?
   

4. How do you convince someone they are poor in spirit if they consider themselves “not that bad of a person”?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Luke 9:61-62 - Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Hebrews 12:2 - Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

2 Kings 2:12 - And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

1 Corinthians 4:15 - For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Titus 2:3 - Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good...

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Small Group Discussion
Read 1 Kings 19:19-21

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What holds you back from being faithfully discipled and faithfully discipling?
   

3. Who has poured into you and shaped the Christian you are today?
   

4. Who is the Lord calling you to disciple right now and what steps can you take to make this happen?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Romans 5:6, 8 - For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

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Small Group Discussion
Read 1 Kings 19:1-18

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. How do you see your physical health affecting your spiritual health? How can you take advantage of God’s provision and make changes right now?
   

3. Why do we often choose to throw a pity party when we feel discouraged rather than seek comfort and help? What should you do when you feel the urge to isolate yourself?
   

4. Why must Jesus ALWAYS be your focus when you are struggling and feeling depressed?

Breakout (by gender)
Honestly share how you feel tempted to give up right now. Pray for one another.

Proverbs 29:25 - The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

Galatians 6:1 - Brothers if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

Colossians 4:5-6 - Walk in wisdom towards outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

John 12:26 - "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will be my servant also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."

Luke 9:26 - "For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."

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Small Group Discussion
Read 1 Kings 18:1-46

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Why can’t our faith be just private and not public?
   

3. How do you see yourself struggling with the fear of man right now and how is it negatively affecting you?
   

4. Who is the Lord calling you to honestly share the truth with right now?
   

5. Why don’t we talk about God, His Word, and the good news of Jesus as often as we should?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

James 5:17a - Elijah was a man with a nature like ours.

1 Kings 16:33 - Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him.

See: James 5:17-18, Deuteronomy 11:16-17, 1 Kings 8:35

James 5:16b - The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

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Small Group Discussion
Read 1 Kings 17:1-24

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Does your prayer life seem unbalanced right now? What would it look like to pray big prayers to a big God and expect big results?
   

3. How do we justify or excuse our disobedience to God’s Word? How do you see yourself struggling to obey the Lord in a specific way right now?
   

4. What holds you back from serving others as God’s Word directs? How do you feel called to serve right now?

Breakout
Pray for one another.

Jeremiah 18:11b-12 - "Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds." But they say, "That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart."

Mark 1:35 - "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed."

Luke 5:16 - "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

Psalm 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God..."

Psalm 37:7 - "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him."

Habakkuk 2:20 - "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him."

Isaiah 30:15 - "“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength."

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Small Group Discussion
Covering Matthew 11:25-30

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. What are some differences between our understanding of rest, and the rest that Jesus says He will give and that we will find?
   

3. What are some differences between a worldly yoke and the yoke Jesus offers?
   

4. Do you take time to be still each day? Why or why not?
   

5. How might not being quiet and still in God’s presence negatively affect your practices of studying scripture and prayer? Conversely, how could being quiet and still have a positive impact on your other practices?
   

6. If you regularly practice silent stillness, describe how it has deepened your friendship with Jesus.

Breakout
Encourage and pray for one another to “resolve to rest” in Christ in 2025.

John 3:19 - "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil."

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Small Group Discussion
Read Matthew 2:1-12

1. What was your big take-away from this passage / message?
   

2. Why do most people respond so poorly and negatively to Christ?
   

3. What does it look like to reject yourself to worship Christ? How can you mature in your desire and ability to worship the Lord?

Breakout
Pray for one another.