SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 8-9

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How does spiritual formation relate to the process of renovating an old house? What are some examples of 'beneath the surface' issues in your own life that may require spiritual transformation?

2. What’s an example of a time when you realized you had a “head” problem with your faith? What did you do? What helped you get through it?

3. What’s an example of a time when you realized you had a “heart” problem with your faith? What “cleaned out the clog” in the end? What can you learn from that experience which might help you now, where you’re at?

4. What’s an example of a time when you realized you had a “hands” problem with your faith? Have you ever known what to do, wanted to do it… but struggled to actually act? What helped you get through this?

5. What does it mean to align our head, heart, and hands in the process of our spiritual formation? 

6. Why is heart change a crucial step before taking action in serving others?

7. After listening to these first two messages on spiritual formation, what do you think about this term/concept? Is it new for you? If you are a Christian, what steps can you take to better participate in this process?

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 12:1-13, 2 Corinthians 2:13-18, Titus 2:11-12, Philippians, 1:4-6, and Galatians 3:2-3 & 4:19-20

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THE SERMON HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Have you had an experience similar to the one Kenny describes at WorldChangers, where temporary excitement to help others faded once you “got home”? 

2. Why is heart change a crucial step before taking action in serving others?

3. The Bible is clear: the Holy Spirit lives inside those who believe in Jesus… and the Spirit is working, always, to transform our hearts and our desires. Do you sometimes have trouble believing this? What questions do you have about how this “works”?

4. Although the eventual success of this process is guaranteed in Scripture, Paul’s letters certainly reveal how we can frustrate the Spirit’s work! Is there anything happening in your heart right now that you are struggling to listen to or obey? What is it? Who might be able to help or encourage you?

5. We can be bold in how and what we surrender to the Holy Spirit. What is one way you can be a better listener this week?

6. We can also be naked when it comes to how we share our growth and our anxieties with others. Who is someone you might be able to trust to walk with you on the “forever path” of spiritual formation? Can you reach out to them this week?

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:6 & Isaiah 58:1-8

YOU CAN ALSO READ KENNY’S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS WEEK HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the meaning of 'righteousness' in the context of the sermon, and how does it relate to our relationships with others?

2. Can you identify a specific relationship in your life that needs 'tzedakah'? What actions can you take to foster a right relationship?

3. How does the practice of the “pushke jar” help Jewish families cultivate the idea that we are obligated towards each other?

4. What is a practical way your family or group of friends can create a similar experience or practice to remind each other about our obligations to care for others?

5. In Isaiah 58:1-8, what does God rebuke the Israelites for, and what does He actually desire?

6. Kenny said, “change starts with us and our hunger for right relationships.” Do you feel this sort of “hunger”? Can you think of a time when you have felt it in the past? What happened?

7. Can you think of a recent situation where you could have actively participated in the Kingdom of God by fostering right relationships? What would you do differently next time?

SCRIPTURE: Galatians 3

“Leaning into discomfort develops what you believe, refines how you think, sands off the parts of you that aren’t wholly in line with God’s heart, and fills in the gaps our own pride and fear create.”

YOU CAN ALSO READ THIS WEEK’S SERMON MANUSCRIPT HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. When was the last time you were uncomfortable in church? Did you find that experience to be ultimately helpful? If so, why? And if not, why not?

2. What are some of the uncomfortable relationships in your life right now? What hope can you see or sense in them?

3. In the Galatians 2 passage, Paul celebrates Peter’s initial willingness to “sit with the gentiles.” Why is this important? What does Paul hope this experience will teach Peter? What does he hope it will reveal to the gentiles?

4. Once Peter changes seats, what is Paul’s purpose in challenging him? 

5. How might we connect our experiences with comfort/discomfort with the example Jesus sets for us? What can we learn from this comparison?

6. Kenny said that our society is all-too-eager to help us narrow down our beliefs and convictions so that we are more predictable… and more easily outraged. Where are you currently “digging down” in your life? How can you seek more diversity?

   SCRIPTURE: Acts 8 & John 3:1-15

YOU CAN ALSO READ THIS WEEK’S MANUSCRIPT HERE.

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the most diverse environment you are in routinely? 

2. Have you ever made an intentional choice to be around viewpoints or cultures different from your own? What about people who are different from you? Reflect on that experience.

3. Kenny argued that what motivates an intentional decision to participate in a diverse environment is curiosity. What are some things you are currently curious about? How can this list grow or expand?

4. Kenny also argued that what motivates real, beneficial curiosity is humility. What do you think this means? Why is humility so important?

5. Read through Acts 8. How does God nudge the early Christian community towards diversity? What is notable about their reactions to some of these challenges?

6. Look at the story of Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3. What do you notice here about humility, curiosity, and intentionality?

7. How does Jesus model the values of humility, curiosity, and intentionality in his own life? 

8. How can you demonstrate curiosity and learn from someone with a different perspective this week?

SCRIPTURE: Revelation 7:9-10 & 2 Timothy 2:8-25

YOU CAN ALSO READ THIS WEEK’S MANUSCRIPT HERE!

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the most diverse community you have ever been a part of? What was that experience like?

2. What diversity do you currently see in our church community? Has it had any impact on your faith or life? How so?

3. Read Revelation 7:9-10. What do you notice here about diversity in God’s Kingdom? Does this vision challenge some of your current beliefs about God, Heaven, or the Church?

4. What can “stall out” some of your own efforts to better engage with or appreciate other beliefs/viewpoints/cultures? 

5. Read 2 Timothy 2:1-25. What advice does Paul give to Timothy about the difficulties of maintaining a healthy and diverse church community? Do you see humility here?

6. Kenny said that “diversity is the fruit that grows on the tree of humility.” What do you think this means? 

How do you think we might better value and appreciate the unique perspectives, cultures, and gifts of others in our church community? What needs to change?

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:5, Philippians 2:1-4, & 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

YOU CAN FIND THE MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS WEEK’S SERMON HERE.

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How would you define “meekness”? Have you heard it discussed in churches or sermons before? What ideas and feelings does the word bring up for you?

2. Can you think of a situation where you practiced meekness in your life? How did it change your relationship with others in that situation?

3. How does meekness challenge the world's view of power and strength?

4. What is an area, relationship, or situation in your life where you can practice restraint, patience, or grace? What might change if you try?

5. Have you ever been forced to lean into one of your weaknesses rather than one of your strengths? What happened? 

6. Why might God be more interested in your areas of weakness? 

7. Why does Jesus say that the meek “will inherit the earth”? How do you feel about this claim?

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 11:28, 30; Ephesians 5:1-14, & Ezekiel 36:26

YOU CAN ALSO FIND THE MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON AT HERE.

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. In Matthew 11, Jesus invites us to come to Him and find rest. How does walking with Jesus make the right work easier?

2. Why is it important to bring our disobedient behaviors and sins into the light?

3. Can you think of a time when bringing a personal struggle into the light led to growth or positive change?

4. What does it mean to live a life of surrender to God? How might you practice listening to the Holy Spirit on a more regular basis? 

5. What does surrendering to God have to do with welcoming others? How does what we actually discover in our relationship with God retrain us to be inclusive?

6. The keys to being truly welcoming are grace, patience, and follow through. Which of these comes most naturally to you? Which comes least naturally? How can you stretch yourself in these areas?

SCRIPTURE: Romans 11:13-24

“ A posture of surrender–to God’s capacity for grace, to our God-given capacity to love and include–is what makes radical and enduring welcome work. And the proof that this surrender will work, that we are safe even when it is costly, is the empty tomb on Easter Sunday.”

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the most welcoming community you have ever been a part of?

2. Have you ever been a part of a community–or experienced a community–that felt “closed” to you? Has this ever happened in a church?

3. The big idea this week is that “welcome,” under our own power, won’t last forever. Why do you think this might be?

4. In Romans 11, what is Paul afraid will happen to the “welcome” of non-Jewish Christians? What does he want them to remember?

5. Think about your own faith story: have you experienced the “welcome” of God? What did that feel like? What does it make you think about?

6. What, in your view, is the connection between “welcome” and “surrender”? 

7. Can you think of a time when you surrendered to God's love in your life, and how did it impact your relationship with others?

8. Are there people (or people groups) who are hard for you to “welcome”? Why is that?

9. How can we make sure that a posture of surrender–to God’s love for us and others, to God’s capacity for grace–remains at the center of Revolution’s culture?