Jesus 120

In today’s sermon we take a look at the relationship between Paul and Timothy, in order to gain some insight into the importance of “Spiritual Parents” in the life of a believer. One of the key ways that God helps us to grow and mature as his children is through the impact spiritual father-figures have in our lives. It is just as important for us to understand that we are meant to grow by pouring into the lives of others as well. We all need to have not only “Pauls” in our lives but “Timothys” as well.

Life Group Questions:

1. Why are spiritual parents important for us? How do they help us grow? What stands out to you from Paul and Timothy’s relationship that we should follow as an example in our lives?

2. What is our part to play as a “Timothy” when we are following a spiritual parent? What are some things it may require of us if we are going to submit and follow someone else’s lead? Why is that good for us?

3. Can you identify any “Pauls” in your life right now? How are you walking out that relationship?

4. Why is it important for us to grow and become a “Paul” in the life of someone else? How do we grow by teaching and influencing someone else?

5. How can being a “Paul” for someone help us become closer to our Heavenly Father? Can you share an example of this from your life?

6. Can you identify any “Timothys” in your life right now? How are you walking out that relationship?

Centuries later, the wisdom of Solomon is still frequently discussed in and outside of church. He was the wisest and most blessed king of Israel, but where did his wisdom come from and how can we achieve it? This week, Pastor Jake discussed the exact same wisdom that Solomon had and how it is available to us. God wants to give us great wisdom, but it is important that we do our part. It is not enough that we just become obese in our knowledge; we must use that knowledge to receive His wisdom and live a life of wisdom.

Key verses: Hebrews 5:12-14, 2 Chronicles 1:3-13, 1 Thess. 2:7-13

1. What does it mean to you to be obese spiritually? How can you exercise spiritual muscles to put the knowledge you take in into action?

2. What does it say about Solomon’s character that the first thing he did when he was going to become king was go before God with many sacrifices? Have you had major changes or responsibilities in your life that you approached with the same attitude? If not, how do you think the situation might have been different (or still could be) if you adopted Solomon’s attitude about his responsibilities and kingdom?

3. What kingdoms has God entrusted you with? Do you seek wisdom from Him in how to rule those kingdoms? Do you really have the attitude that you are stewarding those kingdoms or are there some that you still cling to as your own?

4. Solomon offered a thousand sacrifices before bringing his request to God. What does that say about how serious the sacrifice Jesus made is? Do you approach God with that same reverence and attitude of sacrifice? Have you taken for granted the freedom you have to come before the Father and ask for His great wisdom?

5. Do you agree that when you grow in knowledge, pride can begin to encroach on your spirit? How can you combat that?

6. What do you think is the importance of your motives when asking for wisdom? Without naming names, what are some wrong motives you have seen or have maybe had for asking God for wisdom? What are some things that you have really wanted when you have asked for wisdom? Are you wiling to trust that God will give you the wisdom you need even if it is not the wisdom you want?

7. Why can you trust God when he gives you his wisdom? Are there times in your past or have you seen His wisdom in others in ways that you know He is giving that wisdom from a place of love?

8. What is the importance of modeling wisdom (both doing it and seeing it) in your life?

9. Jake said, “when we don’t apply it, it stays at the level of knowledge and never moves to wisdom.” Do you agree with that statement? How have you kept knowledge from moving to wisdom in your own life? How can you make that shift towards following the great plan God has for your life?

This past Sunday October 13th we had the honor of worshipping with our home church Grace Chapel in Franklin, TN to celebrate their 25th Anniversary. Pastor Jake joined Senior Pastor Steve Berger (Franklin, TN) along with other fellow Pastors - Rob Rogers (Franklin, TN), Ian Gilchrist (Fairview, TN) and Brian Ray (Navajoa, Mexico) to reflect on the legacy and impact Grace Chapel has had in their personal lives, and to share stories of the Lord’s faithfulness over the years. We hope you are encouraged and inspired as we reflect on the past and look ahead to all God has in store for our future.

In today’s message we take a look at what it means to come to God as a child. We are called to approach our Father in the “fear of the Lord” because it is the foundation for knowledge and growth. May we all learn to humble ourselves as we grow into the sons and daughters He is calling us to be.

Life Group Questions:

1. What does it mean for us to approach God as a child? Why is that good for us? How is that challenging for us?

2. What does is mean to have “The Fear of the Lord”? Why is that essential to growing in knowledge?

3. How can we grow in our knowledge of God? What are practical steps we can take?

4. When we hear God say “no” to us, how can we handle that well? Can you think of an example in your life when God said “no” and it didn’t make sense to you? Or a circumstance that felt wrong or unfair? How can we move forward and not get stuck on the “why” questions? (Leader’s Note: remember the sermon – Job eventually focused on “Who” God is and “What” does God want me to do, instead of remaining stuck asking “Why.”)

5. What is God saying to you through this message of humbling ourselves like a child, and letting Him teach us? What is he asking you to do with this? Does something in your life need to change as a result?

No matter what age you begin your spiritual journey with Jesus, it is important to remember that there are stages we all must grow through to follow Him well. He wants to help us grow where we are planted, to pour His knowledge and wisdom into us, and to be in communion with us. It is up to us, however, to learn from the Father, immerse ourselves in His family, and embrace the life He has for us as a part of His house.

Key verses: Mark 4:26-29, Luke 2:40-52

Lifegroup Questions

1. What life circumstances was Jesus born into? Why do you think that God chose (or allowed) Jesus to be born into so much adversity?

2. What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? (Without naming names) Have you ever been around (or been yourself) a person with a lot of knowledge of God’s word, but not a lot of wisdom? Why is it important to get the knowledge? Why is it important not to stop once you have the knowledge? What are some practical ways to change knowledge into wisdom?

3. Are you growing where God has planted you? Or do you think you make excuses for yourself because of the environment you are in?

4. Do you think you allowed yourself the time to be a spiritual infant? Did you give yourself too much time in that stage? What are some important parts and aspects of being an infant spiritually? Why does that stage matter to your spiritual health? What did that time look like for you?

5. Jesus participated in His spiritual growth by remaining in the temple after his earthly parents left. How are you participating in your own spiritual growth? What are some things that help you grow spiritually?

6. Are you more focused on what you want to receive from the Father or what He wants to give you?

7. Luke 2:52 says that Jesus grew in favor with God and men, but often we skip getting grace from God and just work to get grace from men. Have you ever actively sought the grace (or favor) of people but not God? How did that make you feel?

Our friend & deacon, Thomas White, shares his personal testimony on Sunday.

1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love, but do we really believe that? Often, we fight God’s correction and redirection in our lives. We downplay and minimize our sin, trying to shift blame or judgement, and even so, God approaches us in love to correct us for our own benefit. For we cannot live life to the fullest, if we are living outside of His love.

Key verses: John 15:9-13, Proverbs 21:2, Genesis 4:1-7, Hebrews 12:1-6, 1 Cor. 13:4-8, 11-12

Lifegroups Questions:

1. Jake said that we live in a world that is desperate for love and idealizes it. How do you see examples of that in the world around you? Have you believed some of the world’s ideas about what love looks like? How is the world’s definition of love different from God’s definition?

2. Do you agree that the best description of real love is that it is sacrificial? Why or why not? What relationships do you have that require sacrifice? Are those sacrifices worth it to you for that relationship? Why?

3. Proverbs 21:2 says that the Lord weighs the heart. Do you think that the way you judge and justify your sin is the same way that God weighs your heart?

4. In Genesis 4:1-7 Cain is confronted by God for his sin. How does Cain respond to the Lord? What similarities do you see in the way you react to God’s correction and the way Cain reacted?

5. Do you believe that the Father’s discipline in our lives is always motivated by and done in love? Why or why not?

6. What does the statement, “love is what He equates to maturity” mean to you? What do you equate to maturity? What are some other qualities that the world equates to maturity? How would your life look different if you equated LOVE to maturity?

This Sunday we take a look at the story of the Loving Father that Jesus told in Luke 15. Any understanding we are going to have about the Fatherhood of God has to begin with His great love towards us. We see through this story that the Father's love allows room for freedom, always works for the reconciliation of relationship, and is on full display through His pursuit of us and His enduring presence in our lives. May we recognize the Father’s heart toward us as He draws us near with cords of loving-kindness!

Life Group Questions:

1. What stood out to you the most from the story Jesus told in Luke 15? Was God highlighting something to you personally this week?

2. How does God show His love to us by giving us freedom? Why is the freedom to choose (even wrongly) an important part of love? Why is this difficult to do as a parent with our own kids?

3. How does the Father respond to his returning younger son (see Luke 15:20-24)? Have you ever experienced God's love like that in your life? Have you ever had an opportunity to love a returning prodigal this way? What makes it so difficult to respond to prodigals the way the father does in this story?

4. How is the Father’s love shown through his interaction with his older son (Luke 15:28-32)? The older son always lived near the father, so what was he missing that he could so easily mis-understand God’s Love? Why couldn’t he celebrate his younger brother’s return?

5. What is the most challenging aspect of God’s Love in this story for you to receive from Him? How could you open yourself up to receiving that from Him? What is the hardest part for you when trying to love others the way God does? (think about your closest relationships: spouse, kids, close friends & family) How could you grow in that area?

This week, we begin a new series on God as our Father. Too often, we allow our baggage from our relationships with our Earthly fathers to cloud our view of our heavenly Father, but Jesus tells us that God the Father wants us to know Him, to be in His family, to be loved by Him, and to be at home with Him. Even from the beginning of mankind, God the Father shows his people how much He loves and pursues us even when we mess up, and He is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to cover us and to be in relationship with us.

Lifegroup Questions:

1. Malachi 4:5-6 closes the Old Testament. Why do you think God chose to end the Old Testament with this decree about Fathers and children?

2. Why does the relationship between fathers and children affect the whole world? How would society look different if the relationships between fathers and children were mended? How would your life look different if your relationship with your earthly father was better? What about with your heavenly father? Have you had baggage from your relationship with your earthly father that has impacted your relationship with your heavenly Father?

3. Do you agree with the statement that, “parents are stewards”? If you are a parent, are you approaching your relationship with your children with that attitude? If not, what could you change to move in that direction?

4. In the verses John 14:6-7, 18, and 23, what do we learn about our relationship with the Father because of Jesus?

5. The garden in Genesis 2 had boundaries; how do boundaries allow for exploration? Why do boundaries help us feel safe? How did the study about the playgrounds sit with you?

6. In your life, how has the Father provided for your needs? What about your enjoyment?

7. Do you agree with the statement, “it doesn’t matter where you put the boundary, it only matters that you hold the boundary”? Why is it important that we have consequences that are consistent? How have you seen benefit from that in your life?

One of the most notable features of Jesus’ ministry was his relationships with his disciples. It is easy for us sneak in and out of church to check a box every week, but community takes courage and humility. While it feels intimidating, we were created for intimate meaningful relationships with one another in order to live a life more like His.

Life group Questions:

1. What do you see as the main difference between learning from a stranger and discipleship? Why is a relationship built on discipleship important?

2. What were the differences and similarities of the builders in Matthew 7:24-29? How do those qualities translate to our relationship with Jesus?

3. What are your thoughts on the statement, “discipleship invites us into selfless living, but also satisfies our deepest longings”? Have you experienced this?

4. How does iron sharpening iron become painful? Without using names, have you experienced this? How has it made you better? Did you react the way that Jesus calls us to?

5. Do you agree that it takes humility to be in community? Why or why not? Do you agree that humility and courage are tied together? Why or why not?