Leader’s CG Study Guide for March 15, 2020 PDF version
Leader’s Community Group Study Guide
For the week of March 15, 2020
ANNOUNCEMENTS/REMINDERS
A Note from Pastor Chris:
We will continue to post the community group study guides and your group is invited to continue to meet off campus. Until further notice, there will be no community groups meetings on any of our campuses. Please know that if you are at all uncomfortable with your group meeting at this time, there is no pressure to do so. In the same way, if your group continues to meet, please make sure that your group members know that there is no judgment or shame if they choose not to join you right now.
You have a tremendous opportunity to help walk people through a time of fear and confusion and point them to Jesus. In times of trouble is when we truly have the opportunity to love one another as Christ has loved us. Please let us know if there are any ways we can support or pray for your group and thank you for your faithful service.
We’d also like to invite you and your group to take part in Code Blue Revival. Starting Monday at 7:30pm we will be live with another worship service. We will be live nightly at 7:30pm for the next two weeks on our website, app, Facebook and more. We hope you will join us!
Eggstravaganza April 5, 2020, 3:30 – 5:30pm
There will be an Easter egg hunt, bounce houses, crafts, and so much more!
Come out to the Ballast Point Elementary School field from 3:30-5:30 on Sunday, April 5th.
This FREE event is for the whole family and all ages. Register online at stfchurch.com/events
MY STORY
1. Think back to when you were a kid, what was the best gift you ever received?
2. In living your life, do you tend to walk more on the broad road or the narrow road?
3. From this weekend’s sermon, which one statement, point or insight was most helpful, challenging or even confusing to you personally?
DIGGING DEEPER
1. Read Matthew 7:13-14. What makes the broad road most tempting for you? What makes the narrow road difficult?
(Jesus taught that not all ways and not all destinations are equally good. One leads to destruction, the other to life. Matthew 7:13–14: Many find the cost too high when they express interest in following Jesus. They have every “intention” of surrendering to Him and living according to His will for their lives. But they soon find that intent is not enough. Good intentions are not strong enough to overcome the magnetic pull of our sinful flesh (Mark 14:38). Many people hear the gospel and believe it to be true, but they don’t want it badly enough to surrender control of their lives. They “intend” to do so one day—when they’ve finished having fun. One way we can be sure that our lives are not cluttered with useless intentions is to consider ourselves “crucified with Christ,” as Paul did (Galatians 2:20). When we recognize every morning that our day is not ours to squander as we please, but belongs to the Lord, we will be more prone to follow through on the direction He gives us.)
2. The miracle of the blind man seeing is found in John 9:13-41. What is the man able to see about Jesus (vv 12, 17, 25, 27, 30-33, 36, 38) versus the Pharisees? What in the man’s response finally puts the Pharisees “over the top”?
(“Why this is remarkable” The healed man said this about their unbelief, not about the miracle of Jesus. It was if he told the religious leaders, ‘Your unbelief and ignorance in the face of the evidence is more of a miracle than my cure.’ In verse 35, Jesus found him, making a point to take the rejected man and receive him. Jesus called on the healed man to fully believe, and he did. When the healed man declared his loyalty to Jesus by not denying Him before the hostile religious leaders, Jesus revealed more of Himself to him, that he was the Son of God.)
3. Jesus makes the bold claim that HE is the gate, the final authority, the only way to get to heaven. Read the parables found in Matthew 13:44-46, what do the parables teach about the value of the kingdom? With what emotion and energy should it be pursued?
(Matthew 13:44–46). Like a hidden treasure or a pearl of great price, admission to the kingdom is of incalculable worth—and it is Jesus Christ who grants the admission. Notice that the merchant stopped seeking pearls when he found the pearl of great price. Eternal life, the incorruptible inheritance, and the love of God through Christ constitute the pearl which, once found, makes further searching unnecessary. Christ fulfills our greatest needs, satisfies our longings, makes us whole and clean before God, calms and quiets our hearts, and gives us hope for the future. The “great price,” of course, is that which was paid by Christ for our redemption. He emptied Himself of His glory, came to earth in the form of a lowly man and shed His precious blood on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.)
TAKING IT HOME
1. Compared to the man and the merchant (Matthew 13:44-46), how valuable is the kingdom to you and why:
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2. Jesus is an end to our searching and striving to have significance and security in anything else but Him. Read Matthew 16:24-26. What things tend to compete for your allegiance to Christ?
(Chris mentioned how it is only by letting go of our desires, efforts, our expectations that we actually find the life we are created for. What is it that you are holding on to? Having fun, my comfort, friends, possessions, family, career, reputation, something else)
3. How can the group pray for you?
PRAYER REQUESTS
Use some of the member’s answers from discussion time as prayer requests for the entire group. Keep the prayers short and simple.