Verses Used:

• Ephesians 5:1-10
• Matthew 22:36-39
• 1 Corinthians 6:15-18
• Matthew 16:24-26
• John 8:12

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Verses Used:

• 2 Corinthians 5:17
• 1 John 2:15-17
• Galatians 2:20
• Romans 12:1-2
• Acts 1:8

Discussion Questions: 

• Who do you represent in today’s story; the caterpillar or the butterfly?

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Verses Used:

• Colossians 3:15-17
• Isaiah 26:3
• Philippians 4:6,7
• Philippians 4:4,5
• 2 Corinthians 5:20

Takeaways:

• Jesus changes EVERYTHING
• When it comes to the Gospel, there are no limits on access
• Do EVERYTHING in the name of Jesus

Discussion Questions:    

• What has the greatest say in your life right now?
• What exchange needs to take place in order for you to be more grateful?
• Are there any areas of your life that you need to give up the keys in order for Jesus to dwell richly?
• How can you elevate the name of Jesus this week?

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Verses Used:

• John 10:1-18

Takeaways:

• In the midst of all the noise and business of life, we tend to ask: “Is God speaking? How can I hear him?” 
• Truth is, God is speaking, but he doesn’t shout over the noise.
• God is a relational God and he longs to speak to his people - you and me

The Shepherds Voice

• Recognition begins with relationship
• The relationship between the shepherd and his sheep is based on trust. Learning the voice of the shepherd comes from relationships and repeated interaction.
• Animals recognize their owners' voices. They learn to listen and it’s not that complicated.

Other Voice

• The false voices of culture, fear, lies, self-talk all want our attention.
• Sometimes we need to turn down the volume on other voices to discern the gentle whisper of Jesus
• Our spiritual enemy is out to wreck people’s lives. He kills - he is literally out to end lives.

Words of Life

• Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they might have life and have it to the full.”
• Jesus’ words give life. He will at times bring corrections to us, but it is always done in love. Not harsh or cruel.
• Jesus brings words of life. (Example: Words of truth/identity, encouragement, direction, through others, mission, correction).
• God’s voice always leads to freedom, peace, and abundant life - even when the path of life is difficult.

Discussion Questions: 

• Whose voice is shaping your life the most right now?
• When was the last time you clearly sensed God speaking to you? What did he say?
• What kinds of things in your life do you need to hear God’s voice about?
• What distracts you from recognizing God’s voice?

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Verses Used:

• 1 Samuel 3:1-10
• Amos 8:11-12
• 1 Kings 19:11-13

Takeaways:

• We are constantly hearing, but not always listening.

There are 4 Ways God Speaks to us:

• His written word
• Circumstances
• Other people
• The impressions of the Holy Spirit

God is Speaking

• If we don’t believe he is speaking, we probably won’t hear him.
• God is powerful and his very words are more powerful than we can even comprehend.
• Before you can learn to listen to God speak, you must first have the faith that he does still speak and that he wants to speak directly to you.

Learning to Listen 

• God desired for Samuel to know him personally, and he desires that for us too.
• God designed us to hear and know his voice. God gave us the needed equipment to hear him.

Things to keep in mind when distinguishing God’s voice include:

• Is it biblical? Does what I am hearing square with God’s word? 
• Does it reflect the character of Christ? Loving, gracious, and true.
• Does it move me to love God and others?
• Do others in Christian community affirm what I am hearing?

Including Others

• Having trusted, godly people in our lives can help us learn to listen
• We need wisdom to discern what God is really saying to us. Josh uses the examples of giving your car away or having the faith to walk on water.

Discussion Questions: 

• Why could it be important to hear God speak to us on a regular basis? What might he want to say?
• What kinds of competing voices might we hear when trying to hear God? Where do they come from?
• Who are some of the people in your life you can include in discerning God’s voice?
• What is keeping you from hearing God?

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Verses Used:

• Jeremiah 29:4
• Acts 13

Verses Used:

• Luke 22:54-62
• John 21:15-17
• Matthew 16:15-18
• Titus 3:5
• Ephesians 2:8-9
• Galatians 3:2-3, 11-12

Takeaways:

• Review of the 4 G’s
• God is great, so I don’t have to be in control.
• God is good, so I don’t have to look elsewhere for satisfaction.
• God is glorious, so I don’t have to fear others.
• God is gracious, so I don’t have to prove myself.
• Grace meaning God’s unmerited favor.

The Problem

• The problem for Peter: He was not perfect. He failed, and let Jesus down.
• Peter’s problem is also our problem. We all mess up and fail. We don’t always live and act in the ways we would want to.
• The truth is, we can never strive hard enough or earn our way into being right with God.
• You don’t get right with God by doing more. You get right with God by trusting that Jesus has already done enough.

God is Gracious

• Jesus doesn’t scold Peter, he restores him. He doesn’t cancel Peter, he graciously reaffirms his calling.
• Peter didn’t deserve a second chance. Jesus sought him out and restored him. Jesus is gracious.
• God’s grace is not just for the lost - it’s for the failed disciple who thought he should’ve known better. 

I Don’t Have to Prove Myself

• The idea of proving really comes from self righteousness. In essence telling Jesus that his sacrifice wasn’t enough.
• You don’t need to prove yourself to God. You can’t prove yourself to God.
• A quote from John Lynch says, “This life in Christ is not about what I can do to make myself worthy of His acceptance, but about daily trusting what He has done to make me worthy of His acceptance.”

Discussion Questions:    

• If Jesus had not been gracious, describe how that interaction on the beach might have gone.
• What are some of the false beliefs people have to “get right with God”?
• Do you think a person needs to experience grace before extending it to others? Why or why not?
• How might grace sound too good to be true to someone that doesn’t know God?

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Verses Used:

• Luke 12:4-7
• Proverbs 29:25
• Isaiah 8:11-13
• John 12:42-43
• Psalm 97:1-6
• Isaiah 42:8
• Psalm 27:1-3
• Galatians 5:13
• Luke 12:7

Takeaways:

• In this life of discipleship, we behave according to what we believe.
• God is glorious, so I don’t have to fear others.
• The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

God is Glorious

• Glorious, meaning possessing consummate worth, beauty, virtue and excellence
• In Hebrew, the idea of glory is actually related to the idea of heaviness, the idea of weight. Your boss carries more weight than your co-worker. Your spouse carries more weight than a friend 
• God’s glory is what makes us see him as big; as he truly is. The problem is that we sometimes don’t see God as big, we make people bigger.

The Problem

• When others feel weightier than God in our decisions, our hearts are disoriented.
• The fear of man or fear of what others think shows up in many ways such as fear of confrontations, needing affirmations, social anxiety, and people-pleasing.
• The fear of being judged, disliked, or unwanted; that’s the fear of man.

Healthy Fear/Unhealthy Fear

• The Lord is my light and my salvation’ whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?
• …the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
• We can walk into hard conversations, be honest, live truthfully - because our identity is secured by God’s glory, not others’ opinions.

Discussion Questions:    

• Who are some of the people we make glorious in our lives? How do you know?
• Why do you think the Bible says the “fear of man” is a trap?
• Why is it sometimes difficult to see God as big and other people as small in comparison?
• Do you think it is freeing to live with God as glorious over people? Why?

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Verses Used:

• Luke 15:11-32
• 1 Chronicles 16:34
• Psalm 34:8
• Psalm 119:68
• Luke 15:11-32
• Colossians 2:20-23

Takeaways:

• Freedom from sinful patterns does not come by trying harder, but by believing truth and letting behaviors flow from that truth.
• True beliefs bring obedience to God, false beliefs bring disobedience to God - sin.
• God is good, so I don’t have to look for satisfaction elsewhere.

God is Good

• When we think of God’s goodness, we can think of it in two ways: One has to do with His character; the other focuses on His actions. 
• Psalm 119:68 captures both when it says of God “You are good and You do what is good…”
• His plans, His timing, His commands, His grace - is drenched in goodness.

I Don’t Have to Look for Satisfaction Elsewhere

• Satisfaction: The feeling of deep contentment that comes when a need or desire has been truly fulfilled.
• True satisfaction is soul-deep. It’s when your heart is no longer restless, no longer searching.
• In the story of The Prodigal Son, the son came back to the father. The point of the story is not to focus on the sins of the son, but the response of the father. The father runs to meet him. Why? Because the father is good.
• The desires of the prodigal son’s heart were not met with wild and reckless living. He longed for relationship. He longed to be home.
• Every time we look to God to satisfy our longings we are affirming truth. God is good and he does what is good. The satisfaction that my heart longs for is found in him.

Idols and Real Life

• God is not against us having good experiences in this life. He has not called us to be miserable people.
• Money. We need money to live in this world, but when it’s something our heart longs for it turns into greed or lust. 
• Love. We want to be loved and to give love. God created intimacy. However, when we believe that love or intimacy with another person is what will truly satisfy us, we push God out of the picture.
• Every longing in us is a version of our longing for God. That longing may be a distorted version of our longing for God, but it’s still a longing for the God we were made to know.

Discussion Questions:

• Why do you think the younger son in the story expected to be treated like a slave at his return? What does this reveal about his perception of the father?
• Why do you think the older son complained to his father about not getting his own party? 
• Why do we sometimes struggle to believe that God is good all the time?
• Can you describe the difference between having things and having idols?

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Verses Used:

• Genesis 50:15-21
• Psalm 145:3
• Psalm 33:6
• Luke 12:25-31
• Matthew 6:10

Takeaways:

• Behaviors come from a place of belief - our heart.
• We don’t typically think on truth long enough to change the operating system of our hearts.
• God is great, so I don’t have to be in control.

God is Great

• God is more powerful than anyone else. He is present in all places at all times. He is in total control of everything. That’s what it means for God to be great.
• The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word and all the stars were born. No one can do what he can.

Joseph’s Story

• Joseph probably struggled with trusting God through his trials.
• The events in his life weren’t fair and he was mistreated by people-in-power and his own family.
• God protected him. God redeemed his awful situation.

I’m Not in Control

• Things we don’t control include: Time/place/family you were born into, the weather/natural disasters, actions and behaviors of other people, your genetics, trials that happen to you.
• Things you do control: Your attitude, your priorities, your choices of how you treat others or yourself, who you love, if you will worship and trust God.
• Jesus invites us to a better way. His invitation is to life, peace, and freedom; but we will never get there as long as we are trying to maintain control.

Discussion Questions:    

• How do you think God used those hard experiences in Joseph’s life to build his faith?
• Why is it easy to doubt God’s greatness when we face hardships? 
• Why is it so hard to acknowledge that we are not in control and that God is?
• Why do you think Jesus focused more on addressing attitudes of the heart than behaviors?

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