REMINDERS

• Complete study guide and pray for your group before they arrive
• Have refreshments available
• Find out how your group can serve in our upcoming VBS by emailing us at groups@stfchurch.com to get a bucket full of supplies and instructions of how you can help glue/cut/color/count/sort whatever needs to be done. 

ATTENDANCE

Submit your group’s attendance online through your email you receive at the conclusion of your meeting.  

MY STORY

1.  If you KNEW the world was going to end in 6 months, how would you live your life differently?

 

 

 

 

2.  Have you ever encountered a person or teacher that claimed to know the timetable of Jesus’ return? Did you buy in or tune out? How did you respond?

 

 

 

 

3. Was there one point from this week’s sermon that particularly caught your attention, challenged you or maybe even confused you more than normal?

 

 

 

 

DIGGING DEEPER

Read Mark 13 aloud and have your Bibles open/on to answer the following questions:

1.  How do you think the disciples felt as Jesus was describing the destruction of Jerusalem, signs of the end, and the persecution of Christians?  How does this passage make YOU feel?

(For many Jews of that day, the temple had become an idol – it subtly began to mean more to the people than God Himself meant.  The disciples thought that the destruction of the temple would be one of the events that would begin the start of the end times.  “In those days” was a common expression in the Hebrew texts having to do with the end times. The literal fulfillment of this prophecy establishes the tone for the rest of the prophecies in this chapter. “Generation” may refer to either the generation in which Jesus lived while on earth or the generation living with these signs begin to occur.)

 

 

 

 

2. Why do you think that Jesus used the discussion about the temple to begin his discourse about the end of the age?  What made the temple so significant for the disciples?  What would its destruction symbolize for them? 

(“What will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”, they asked.  This question was asked perhaps as they remembered the events surrounding the last temple’s destruction: out of national judgment and exile.  What would become of Israel and the Jews?  In troubled times, many people assume that the end of the age is near, but Jesus said that “wars and rumors of wars” are not signs of the end. The description in v. 24-25 does not necessarily refer to a complete breakup of the universe.  It was language commonly used to describe God’s awful judgment on a fallen world.)

 

 

 

 

3.  There are a number of reasons why someone would be slow or even afraid to go “all in” with Jesus. As you read Psalm 73:1-5, what are some roadblocks that could have kept the writer from letting God be truly first in his life?

Psalm 73:1-5

A psalm of Asaph.

Surely God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.

[2] But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;

I had nearly lost my foothold.

[3] For I envied the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

[4] They have no struggles;

their bodies are healthy and strong.

[5] They are free from the burdens common to man;

they are not plagued by human ills. [NIV]

(Possible follow-up question: “What is keeping you from being all in?  When have you backed down or have slipped because you were looking the other way or because your burden was so heavy? What will you be watching for to do differently?  Be willing to go first!)

 

 

 

 

4.  What promises does Jesus give in verses 30-31?  How would this comfort (or discomfort) the disciples?  What impact do these promises have on you, centuries later?

(The Greek word translated “generation” can also mean “race, stock, family.”  On several occasions, Jesus used it to refer to the Jewish nation and that possibly how He used it in Mark 13:30.  The chosen nation, God’s elect, would be preserved to the very end and God would fulfill His promises with them.  We as believers do to depend on signs; we depend on His unchanging Word.  “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away”: Jesus makes the amazing claim of deity by saying these words!)

 

 

 

 

TAKING IT HOME

1. Why do you think the Father has kept the time secret (v. 32)?  what is the responsibility of believers?

(Even Jesus, living by faith, fully man and fully God, humbled himself in obedience to the Father to not know the day or hour.  This is a hallmark of his ministry.  To continually humble himself as fully man before the Father, never giving up His omniscience – for He is an unchanging God.  It was because He voluntarily, out of submission to God the Father, RESTRICTED His knowledge of this event.  People are not ready because they fail to WATCH.  Many think, ‘it doesn’t matter’, ‘we don’t know so let’s find a date’  but the right response is, “I don’t know when Jesus is coming so I have to be ALERT, EAGER, and READY for His coming”.)

2.  When you see forces of evil apparently winning, how do you feel?

• withdrawing (its not really my problem so long as I am not part of it)
• jump in and fight against evil
• perch up on the “rooftop” to wait and see
• hopeless

3.  How can YOU fulfill verses 33 and 37: “be on guard!  Be alert . . . Watch!”?

(Consider what Jesus has left us: His house; The church belongs to Jesus but He has entrusted each one of us,  His authority; we are to live and serving in the authority of Jesus.  His work; Each of His servants have work to do.  We aren’t responsible for someone else’s work but we are certainly responsible for ours.)

PRAYER REQUESTS

•  

•  

•  

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mens Softball Outreach –

It’s for men age 16 and older.

• Games will be played Friday evenings.

• The cost is $45 per player — includes jersey, bats, and balls.

• Our league will play against other churches in the Tampa Bay area

The opening game is April 5 at the field in Gadsden Park (6901 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa 33611.) Bring your family and friends, and invite your neighbors to come and be a part of the fellowship.

WAYS TO SERVE

 

As we learned this week, it is our mission to share the gospel.  One of the ways we can do that right now, is helping our church prepare for VBS.  Each CG has the ability to receive a project that they can do DURING their CG time!  Just return it back to the Children’s Dept the following Sunday a.m.  Lets get WILD and help prepare for VBS KIDS!  Email groups@stfchurch.com to get your craft project to make/cut-out/color/etc. 

VBS Into The Wild!

Join us on our adventure Into The Wild? Click one of the buttons below to volunteer for VBS 2019.