40 Days of Focus: Seven Deadlies Small Group Study Guide
Week One: Pride
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. Take time for each person to share their name and what made them decide to join this small group.
2. Share with the rest of the group what you expect to get out of this seven week study.
3. If you could be a space shuttle astronaut, a renown chef, the world’s greatest tennis player, or a famous painter which would you choose and why?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Luke 18:9-14
Pride is a common pitfall for the entire human race and it is responsible for much of the human suffering throughout history. It is most likely to reveal itself, not in our weakest points, but in our strongest.
Consider some of the consequences of Pride:
· Clinging to unyielding positions
· Excessive competition
· Bragging about accomplishments
· Needing to win or to be right or first (sometimes at the cost of isolating those we love)
· Hypocrisy that inhibits communication with others
· Rigid self-reliance that builds walls against dependence on God and on others
· Having an argumentative spirit rather than pursuing unity and cooperation
Take some time as a group to read Luke 18:9-14 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. Who was Jesus’ target audience when He told this parable?
2. What does it means to "trust" or to be "confident" in your own righteousness?Read verse 11. Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology states that what constitutes a "proud" person in the “negative sense points to a sinful individual who shifts ultimate confidence from God to self.” This naturally leads to self-confidence that generally results in a spirit that is not willing to submit to God and an insensitive disregard for others. How did the Pharisee demonstrate Pride?
3. Examine verse 12. What did the Pharisee think made him "right" with God? Compare Romans 1:17 and 3:20.
4. In verses 13 and 14, Jesus praised the tax collector for humbling himself. How did Jesus characterize the tax collector’s relationship with God?
5. Reflect on your own life for a moment. What are some instances in your personal and work relationships where these characteristics are evident?
6. How would you characterize how you relate with God? With others?
7. In our society, people are generally rewarded for individual performance and accomplishments which encourages them to build their identity on self-reliance and independence from others. How have you seen this at work in your life?
8. Read Titus 3:1-7; James 4:4-10. How can humility and service counteract the consequences of pride at work in our lives?
9. What value do we see in authentic relationships and Christian fellowship in light of this?
10. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome pride.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Choose one person in the group to write them down. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Attend. It is important that you attend weekly discussions if at all possible.
2. Invite. Write down the name of one person you will invite to join you for next week’s small group and tell the others when you plan to invite them.
3. Organize. Made sure to elect one person from your group to fill each of the following:
CONNECTOR: Two days before you meet call each person to remind them of the week’s meeting.
SERVER: Brings baked goods to each meeting.
PLANNER: Schedules and implements a small group potluck during one of your weekly meetings.
Week Two: Greed
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. Have each person in the group share their greatest accomplishment.
2. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
3. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Luke 12:13-21
Animal trappers who work for African zoos say that one of the most difficult animals to catch is the ring-tailed monkey. However, the Zulu tribe has been doing it for centuries. Their method is fairly simple and is derived from their knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey and armed with this knowledge, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to squeeze his hand in to reach the seeds. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it only to find that he cannot remove his hand. His fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can’t get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the tribesman will come up and catch him.
Take some time as a group to read Luke 12:13-21 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. Read verse 15. We find here an example of a man focused on the maters of the world and his possessions. If this is an example of someone who has an out of focus perspective on his life, what is a proper perspective that we should have?
2. In verse 18, the rich fool says that he is going to tear down the barns he has and build even greater ones. In our culture, what are some of the “greater barns” that people are tempted to pursue? In your life, what are the “greater barns”?
3. Read verse 19 and contrast it with Ecclesiastes 2:24. The two passages say very similar things, but the outcome is very different. What was different about the rich fool’s attitude from Solomon’s attitude in Ecclesiastes?
4. Use verse 20 as an opportunity for personal spiritual reflection. Look at your life right now. In what area of your life can you see this as God’s response to you?
5. Read verse 21. This section in Luke 12 is a somewhat parallel passage to Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount” found in Matthew 5-7. Jesus mentions this word treasure here in verse 21 and later in verse 34. What does it mean when Jesus says, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”?
6. Greed is an excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth. What are the different kinds of greed that come up in your life?
7. A supervisor or manager at work may see material gain as a healthy motivator for employees of the company. Is this wrong? Why or why not? When does it cross the line?
8. Read Matthew 6:19-21. When it comes to greed, these Scriptures clearly show us how to attack this sin in our lives. What would it look like in your life to put greed to death and put true treasure in heaven?
9. Read 1Timothy 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:5-6. What attitudes in your life do you need to submit to Christ so that you can be content with where God has placed you?
10. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome greed.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Continue to plan your potluck.
2. Spend some time encouraging members of your group who have struggled to keep up with the reading, fasting, inviting or attending services. If necessary, help them to formulate a personal plan to do better this coming week.
Week Three: Envy
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would you choose and why?
2. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
3. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Numbers 12:1-16
We have all had those experiences (probably more often than we’d like to admit) where we catch ourselves desiring something someone else has, whether it be a car, a house, a job, an accomplishment, or any number of other things. One person said that, “envy is the weak link in a chain of successes that might have been. It is a self-defeatist attitude that distracts us from the works that might have been, and focuses us on the limitations of the works that others have already accomplished.” At its core, envy undermines God’s providential grace in how he created us, and undermines our relationships with Him and other because we allow those things that we become envious of to restrict us from entering into authentic relationships.
Take some time as a group to read Numbers 12:1-16 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology defines envy as the “Sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others, especially the spiritual enjoyment and advance of the kingdom of Christ freely and graciously bestowed upon the people of God.” In what way is our passage an example of envy?
2. Read verse 2. What was the basis of the Aaron and Miriam’s complaint against Moses?
3. See verses 3. What does this verse tell us about the character of Moses? How does this verse contrast with the attitudes of Moses’ brother and sister?
4. In verses 4-9 we see the Lord’s response to Aaron and Miriam’s attitude of envy. How should their attitude have differed from what we saw in verses 1-2?
5. Verses 10-16 tell us that there were consequences for this act of envy. We see that God healed her leprosy, but what did it mean for Miriam to be shut out of the camp for seven days? How would the other Israelites have interpreted this punishment?
6. One striking part of this entire story is the response of Moses. There is no indication that he knew that his brother and sister were saying these things to each other, and then he receives a heavenly conference call for the three of them with God. Can you imagine the shock and surprise that Moses must have felt at that moment? However, verse 13 indicates that Moses interceded on behalf of his sister, in the midst of her sin and his surprise. In what way do we see Moses validate the statement in verse 3 about his character?
7. Read Ecclesiastes 4:4. Now read Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 and contrast these verses. As you look across our culture and our life specifically, would you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?
8. Read Proverbs 14:30; James 3:13-18. According to these verses, what does envy produce? If we resist envy in our lives, what do these passages say will be produced?
9. How is envy an evidence of not trusting God?
10. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome envy.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Continue to plan your potluck.
2. Begin to brainstorm ways you could serve someone or a group of people in your community in humility and love as a small group.
Week Four: Wrath
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. What makes you angry?
2. When you get angry are you most likely to clam-up, blow-up, throw-up or get even?
3. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
4. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: 1 Samuel 18:5-30
You have likely heard the story about the passenger who boarded the Los Angeles-to-New York flight and told the flight attendant to wake him and make sure he got off in Dallas. When the passenger awoke hours later the plane was landing in New York. Furious, he called the flight attendant and demanded an explanation. The flight attendant mumbled an apology and, in a rage, the passenger stomped off the plane.
“Boy, was he ever mad!” another crew member observed to her errant colleague.
“If you think he was mad,” replied the flight attendant, “you should have seen the guy I put off the plane in Dallas!”
Anger is a constant source of destruction. Benjamin Franklin said, “anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one” and also said “whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.” While these statements ring true the majority of the time, we must make the distinction between the sin of anger and the emotion of anger (Ephesians 4:26). Resentment, backbiting, foul language, discrimination, seeking revenge, outbursts of rage and violence against others are all sins of anger. Feeling anger is not wrong, but one’s actions after experiencing the emotions can be very difficult to control in an edifying and God honoring fashion since anger affects our moral judgments (Psalm 37:8, Proverbs 29:22). Only God can balance his anger with love perfectly.
Saul was Israel’s first king and David experienced a special relationship with Saul since David played the harp to calm Saul’s spirit. David later killed the Philistine giant Goliath and in time developed a very deep friendship with Saul's son Jonathan.
Take some time as a group to read 1 Samuel 18:5-30 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. Read verses 6-9. What lead to Saul's anger against David?
2. Read verses 9-27. As a group, make a list of the actions that Saul took against David. Why do you think Saul acted this way? What do you think Saul could have done instead of taking these actions?
3. Now read 28-30. From verses 13-30, compare and contrast David and Saul’s differing responses to each other. Why do you think David responded this way? How did God show favor to David? How can you apply David's character in our culture and in your interpersonal relationships?
4. Read Galatians 5:16-25. What kinds of acts are contrasted? Are any sins of anger listed? If so, what are they and in what category are they placed? How do you think this passage relates with the passages for study?
5. God's Word gives us clear guidelines about how to deal with anger and how we can choose not to act sinfully when we do become angered (Proverbs 29:11, Ephesians 4:26, 31, Colossians 3:8, James 1:19, 20). Think of an instance in your life when you were angry at someone. What actions did you take? What was the result? Do you think you could have acted differently? How?
6. Scripture is very specific in dealing with anger, especially anger directed toward other Christians: self-control (Proverbs 16:32, Ecclesiastes 7:8-9, James 1:19), how we communicate it (Matthew 18:15-20), dependence (Romans 12:19-21). Look up these passages and think of two or three situations or relationships in your life where you can apply these principles. Share with the group how at least one of these will look.
7. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome wrath.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Begin to brainstorm ways you could serve someone or a group of people in your community in humility and love as a small group.
Week Five: Lust
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. Do you think men or women are more likely to struggle with lust?
2. Do you think lust is a bigger problem in our culture than it was 100 years ago or just less covert?
3. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
4. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: 2 Samuel 11-12 (read passages noted in questions)
There’s a story about a man who was shopping with his wife at a mall kiosk, and as they were looking at the items, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. His eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining, his wife asked, “Was it worth the trouble you’re in?”
Lust is often considered merely a strong sexual attraction to another person, which begs the question, “what’s the big deal?” However, lust, as biblically defined, is “a strong craving or desire, often of a sexual nature… relating primarily either to a strong desire for sexual immorality or idolatrous worship.” We may chuckle at this story, but when we are honest with ourselves, this sin can quickly master even the strongest faith.
Within our human sexuality, lust is a perversion of God's will concerning sex and our sexual desires. The motive of lust can be boiled down to self-gratification at the expense of others, at the expense of a relationship with God, and even to the detriment of self. Most everyone is susceptible to the temptations of lust. Through our culture and the media, sexuality has gone mainstream and is a profitable business in our society.
Take some time as a group to read 2 Samuel 11:12 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
Read verses 11:1-5. Where do we find King David in this story? With responsibilities such as leading his troops in battle, it begs the question: Why was David even in this situation. What are the steps in David’s downward spiral that we witness in 11:1-5?
After this event unfolds, David compounds his sin by attempting to get Bathsheba’s husband to come home for a “biblical diversion” with his wife, but when Uriah didn’t follow along, David had him setup to be murdered. David’s downward spiral continues through the end of this chapter when we read in 11:27 that Bathsheba gave birth to a son.
1. Read 12:1-6. Here, God uses Nathan the prophet to confront David in his sin. What was David’s analysis of the story Nathan told? Was David’s reaction appropriate? Why or why not?
2. Now read 12:7-12. With your group, make a list of the consequences that Nathan lists for David’s sin.
3. Finish by reading 12:13-15. What was David’s response to this direct confrontation of his sin? How do you think you would have responded?
4. Can you think of instances in your life where lust became a temptation? How did you handle the temptation? How will you deal with future temptations you may face?
5. The Greek word "porneia," translated "sexual immorality," is broad and includes sexual practices outside of God’s revealed will. Biblically, what practices are sexually immoral? Why do you think God says they are contrary to his will? For reference, see Matthew 5:27-32; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:15, 7:1-2; Romans 1:27.
6. In 12:7-12, Nathan has some very harsh words for David, who ironically had the power to have Nathan put to death or tortured, as many later kinds in Israel and Judah would do. Nathan shows great courage in the midst of this crisis. What can we learn about confronting sin in our interpersonal relationships?
7. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome lust.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Have someone from your small group write an article for the Reporter on what God is doing through your small group.
Week Six: Gluttony
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. What is your favorite food? Where do you get it?
2. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
3. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Numbers 11:1-35
People suffering with Compulsive Overeating have what is characterized as an "addiction" to food, using food and eating as a way to hide from their emotions, to fill a void they feel inside, and to cope with daily stresses and problems in their lives. Consider the following real-life confession from Tom…
“I suppose it is ironic that I work at a hospital. I was married to an alcoholic... how nice it would be to have a simple addiction like booze... you give it up and you are recovering. But you have to eat. Well I eat... when I'm hungry... when I'm full... when I'm anxious... when I'm happy... when I'm sad... well you get the idea. Food, the friend that never fails.”
“When I was a kid I was trained that food made it all better. When we were totally broke my mom would cook the most. She was a compulsive feeder so I became a compulsive eater. Every diet has failed. I am a lifer on Weight Watchers, I have been through Nutra System. But it's not about the weight... it's about the inability to deal with feelings and emotions... about using a bowl of pasta or a pound of m&m's as a narcotic to stem the pain.”
“That's what compulsive overeating is. I cry because it makes me overweight and no one sees the real me inside. I try to show the real me and I think that people don't like me because I am overweight. It’s a catch 22. I see my son gaining weight and I grieve. I want out... but then I realize that there is no out... only control... and control is harder than being in our out.”
Whether it’s compulsive or casual, overeating is symptomatic of a much deeper issue. Gluttony kills, steals and destroys. Most of us react to our overeating by trying to “cut back a little.” But is this really the answer?
There is a story told about some teenagers who were driving through a small town one night. It was late and as they approached a stop sign the driver slowed down, looked both ways and then rolled right on through. When a parked policeman saw the entire thing he turned on his lights and pulled the teenagers over. The cocky teen asked the policeman why he had pulled him over. The policeman said, you failed to stop at that intersection. But I slowed down and looked both ways, the boy insisted. Yeah, but slowing down is not the same thing as stopping, said the cop. The boy thought for a moment and said, I think what I did was just as safe as if I’d stopped. Fed up with the attitude the kid was giving him, the cop pulled the boy from the car and began to whack him in the behind with his baton. As he did he asked the kid, would you like me to stop or just slow down?
God is not asking you to cut back on your sin, He’s asking you to stop. We often play at this when it comes to food. Overeating is a sin. Are you committed to stopping or are you more likely to just cut back?
Take some time as a group to read Numbers 11:1-35 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. What had God done to bless the Israelites before they began to grumble? How did God respond to their grumbling in vv. 1-3?
2. What did the Israelites want to eat? Were they concerned with starving? What was the problem?
3. How did God respond to the Israelites cries for meat to eat?
4. When God provided meat for the Israelites how did he do it?
5. What was the response of the people? Were they thankful? Did it cause them to trust God more?
6. How did God feel about the response of His people to His blessing? What did it cause Him to do?
7. How well has God provided for your dietary needs? In light of how God responded to the Israelites how do you think He feels about the way you use the food He’s given you? Do you think He expects you to eat only what you need or what you desire?
8. Why do you think God cares so much about the amount of food people gather and consume?
9. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome gluttony.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Have someone from your small group write an article for the Reporter on what God is doing through your small group.
Week Seven: Sloth
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. How do you relax?
2. What would you do if the check-out person forgot to charge you for a $5.00 item and you didn’t catch it until you got home?
3. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
4. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Matthew 25:14-29
Most people think of sloth as laziness, not doing much of anything, but just sitting around doing nothing. Slothful people may stay busy most of the time but don't do the things they should, putting them off for later. Sloth is often disguised as calmness, serenity, keeping a level head, open mindedness. But the Bible describes the slothful person as an evildoer.
In the popular musical, “My Fair Lady,” Eliza’s father is a character of great slothfulness. In a song titled, “With a Little Bit o’ Luck,” he sums up the thinking of the man of sloth when he sings:
The Lord above gave man an arm of iron So he could do his job and never shirk. The Lord gave man an arm of iron-but With a little bit of luck, With a little bit of luck, Someone else'll do the blinkin' work! With a little bit...with a little bit... With a little bit of luck you'll never work!
Take some time as a group to read Matthew 25:14-29 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. According to this passage, how does God view the time and talents that He’s given you? Are they yours to do with as you like?
2. How did the faithful servants gain more talents?
3. In what ways has God given more talents to some than others?
4. According to this passage is God more concerned with how much you accomplish or what you do with the opportunities you’ve been given?
5. What principle does God teach us in v. 26? How can we apply this to our lives today?
6. How does God reward those who work diligently?
7. How does God reward those who are lazy or slothful?
8. In what ways is slothfulness made more acceptable in our culture?
9. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome slothfulness.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Have someone from your small group write an article for the Reporter on what God is doing through your small group.
2. Decide as a group if you are going to continue to meet after the 40 Days Campaign is over.
3. Let the Small Groups team leader know what your group decides.
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. Take time for each person to share their name and what made them decide to join this small group.
2. Share with the rest of the group what you expect to get out of this seven week study.
3. If you could be a space shuttle astronaut, a renown chef, the world’s greatest tennis player, or a famous painter which would you choose and why?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Luke 18:9-14
Pride is a common pitfall for the entire human race and it is responsible for much of the human suffering throughout history. It is most likely to reveal itself, not in our weakest points, but in our strongest.
Consider some of the consequences of Pride:
· Clinging to unyielding positions
· Excessive competition
· Bragging about accomplishments
· Needing to win or to be right or first (sometimes at the cost of isolating those we love)
· Hypocrisy that inhibits communication with others
· Rigid self-reliance that builds walls against dependence on God and on others
· Having an argumentative spirit rather than pursuing unity and cooperation
Take some time as a group to read Luke 18:9-14 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. Who was Jesus’ target audience when He told this parable?
2. What does it means to "trust" or to be "confident" in your own righteousness?Read verse 11. Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology states that what constitutes a "proud" person in the “negative sense points to a sinful individual who shifts ultimate confidence from God to self.” This naturally leads to self-confidence that generally results in a spirit that is not willing to submit to God and an insensitive disregard for others. How did the Pharisee demonstrate Pride?
3. Examine verse 12. What did the Pharisee think made him "right" with God? Compare Romans 1:17 and 3:20.
4. In verses 13 and 14, Jesus praised the tax collector for humbling himself. How did Jesus characterize the tax collector’s relationship with God?
5. Reflect on your own life for a moment. What are some instances in your personal and work relationships where these characteristics are evident?
6. How would you characterize how you relate with God? With others?
7. In our society, people are generally rewarded for individual performance and accomplishments which encourages them to build their identity on self-reliance and independence from others. How have you seen this at work in your life?
8. Read Titus 3:1-7; James 4:4-10. How can humility and service counteract the consequences of pride at work in our lives?
9. What value do we see in authentic relationships and Christian fellowship in light of this?
10. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome pride.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Choose one person in the group to write them down. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Attend. It is important that you attend weekly discussions if at all possible.
2. Invite. Write down the name of one person you will invite to join you for next week’s small group and tell the others when you plan to invite them.
3. Organize. Made sure to elect one person from your group to fill each of the following:
CONNECTOR: Two days before you meet call each person to remind them of the week’s meeting.
SERVER: Brings baked goods to each meeting.
PLANNER: Schedules and implements a small group potluck during one of your weekly meetings.
Week Two: Greed
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. Have each person in the group share their greatest accomplishment.
2. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
3. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Luke 12:13-21
Animal trappers who work for African zoos say that one of the most difficult animals to catch is the ring-tailed monkey. However, the Zulu tribe has been doing it for centuries. Their method is fairly simple and is derived from their knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey and armed with this knowledge, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to squeeze his hand in to reach the seeds. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it only to find that he cannot remove his hand. His fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. But he can’t get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the tribesman will come up and catch him.
Take some time as a group to read Luke 12:13-21 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. Read verse 15. We find here an example of a man focused on the maters of the world and his possessions. If this is an example of someone who has an out of focus perspective on his life, what is a proper perspective that we should have?
2. In verse 18, the rich fool says that he is going to tear down the barns he has and build even greater ones. In our culture, what are some of the “greater barns” that people are tempted to pursue? In your life, what are the “greater barns”?
3. Read verse 19 and contrast it with Ecclesiastes 2:24. The two passages say very similar things, but the outcome is very different. What was different about the rich fool’s attitude from Solomon’s attitude in Ecclesiastes?
4. Use verse 20 as an opportunity for personal spiritual reflection. Look at your life right now. In what area of your life can you see this as God’s response to you?
5. Read verse 21. This section in Luke 12 is a somewhat parallel passage to Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount” found in Matthew 5-7. Jesus mentions this word treasure here in verse 21 and later in verse 34. What does it mean when Jesus says, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”?
6. Greed is an excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth. What are the different kinds of greed that come up in your life?
7. A supervisor or manager at work may see material gain as a healthy motivator for employees of the company. Is this wrong? Why or why not? When does it cross the line?
8. Read Matthew 6:19-21. When it comes to greed, these Scriptures clearly show us how to attack this sin in our lives. What would it look like in your life to put greed to death and put true treasure in heaven?
9. Read 1Timothy 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:5-6. What attitudes in your life do you need to submit to Christ so that you can be content with where God has placed you?
10. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome greed.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Continue to plan your potluck.
2. Spend some time encouraging members of your group who have struggled to keep up with the reading, fasting, inviting or attending services. If necessary, help them to formulate a personal plan to do better this coming week.
Week Three: Envy
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would you choose and why?
2. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
3. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Numbers 12:1-16
We have all had those experiences (probably more often than we’d like to admit) where we catch ourselves desiring something someone else has, whether it be a car, a house, a job, an accomplishment, or any number of other things. One person said that, “envy is the weak link in a chain of successes that might have been. It is a self-defeatist attitude that distracts us from the works that might have been, and focuses us on the limitations of the works that others have already accomplished.” At its core, envy undermines God’s providential grace in how he created us, and undermines our relationships with Him and other because we allow those things that we become envious of to restrict us from entering into authentic relationships.
Take some time as a group to read Numbers 12:1-16 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology defines envy as the “Sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others, especially the spiritual enjoyment and advance of the kingdom of Christ freely and graciously bestowed upon the people of God.” In what way is our passage an example of envy?
2. Read verse 2. What was the basis of the Aaron and Miriam’s complaint against Moses?
3. See verses 3. What does this verse tell us about the character of Moses? How does this verse contrast with the attitudes of Moses’ brother and sister?
4. In verses 4-9 we see the Lord’s response to Aaron and Miriam’s attitude of envy. How should their attitude have differed from what we saw in verses 1-2?
5. Verses 10-16 tell us that there were consequences for this act of envy. We see that God healed her leprosy, but what did it mean for Miriam to be shut out of the camp for seven days? How would the other Israelites have interpreted this punishment?
6. One striking part of this entire story is the response of Moses. There is no indication that he knew that his brother and sister were saying these things to each other, and then he receives a heavenly conference call for the three of them with God. Can you imagine the shock and surprise that Moses must have felt at that moment? However, verse 13 indicates that Moses interceded on behalf of his sister, in the midst of her sin and his surprise. In what way do we see Moses validate the statement in verse 3 about his character?
7. Read Ecclesiastes 4:4. Now read Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 and contrast these verses. As you look across our culture and our life specifically, would you agree with this assessment? Why or why not?
8. Read Proverbs 14:30; James 3:13-18. According to these verses, what does envy produce? If we resist envy in our lives, what do these passages say will be produced?
9. How is envy an evidence of not trusting God?
10. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome envy.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Continue to plan your potluck.
2. Begin to brainstorm ways you could serve someone or a group of people in your community in humility and love as a small group.
Week Four: Wrath
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. What makes you angry?
2. When you get angry are you most likely to clam-up, blow-up, throw-up or get even?
3. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
4. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: 1 Samuel 18:5-30
You have likely heard the story about the passenger who boarded the Los Angeles-to-New York flight and told the flight attendant to wake him and make sure he got off in Dallas. When the passenger awoke hours later the plane was landing in New York. Furious, he called the flight attendant and demanded an explanation. The flight attendant mumbled an apology and, in a rage, the passenger stomped off the plane.
“Boy, was he ever mad!” another crew member observed to her errant colleague.
“If you think he was mad,” replied the flight attendant, “you should have seen the guy I put off the plane in Dallas!”
Anger is a constant source of destruction. Benjamin Franklin said, “anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one” and also said “whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.” While these statements ring true the majority of the time, we must make the distinction between the sin of anger and the emotion of anger (Ephesians 4:26). Resentment, backbiting, foul language, discrimination, seeking revenge, outbursts of rage and violence against others are all sins of anger. Feeling anger is not wrong, but one’s actions after experiencing the emotions can be very difficult to control in an edifying and God honoring fashion since anger affects our moral judgments (Psalm 37:8, Proverbs 29:22). Only God can balance his anger with love perfectly.
Saul was Israel’s first king and David experienced a special relationship with Saul since David played the harp to calm Saul’s spirit. David later killed the Philistine giant Goliath and in time developed a very deep friendship with Saul's son Jonathan.
Take some time as a group to read 1 Samuel 18:5-30 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. Read verses 6-9. What lead to Saul's anger against David?
2. Read verses 9-27. As a group, make a list of the actions that Saul took against David. Why do you think Saul acted this way? What do you think Saul could have done instead of taking these actions?
3. Now read 28-30. From verses 13-30, compare and contrast David and Saul’s differing responses to each other. Why do you think David responded this way? How did God show favor to David? How can you apply David's character in our culture and in your interpersonal relationships?
4. Read Galatians 5:16-25. What kinds of acts are contrasted? Are any sins of anger listed? If so, what are they and in what category are they placed? How do you think this passage relates with the passages for study?
5. God's Word gives us clear guidelines about how to deal with anger and how we can choose not to act sinfully when we do become angered (Proverbs 29:11, Ephesians 4:26, 31, Colossians 3:8, James 1:19, 20). Think of an instance in your life when you were angry at someone. What actions did you take? What was the result? Do you think you could have acted differently? How?
6. Scripture is very specific in dealing with anger, especially anger directed toward other Christians: self-control (Proverbs 16:32, Ecclesiastes 7:8-9, James 1:19), how we communicate it (Matthew 18:15-20), dependence (Romans 12:19-21). Look up these passages and think of two or three situations or relationships in your life where you can apply these principles. Share with the group how at least one of these will look.
7. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome wrath.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Begin to brainstorm ways you could serve someone or a group of people in your community in humility and love as a small group.
Week Five: Lust
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. Do you think men or women are more likely to struggle with lust?
2. Do you think lust is a bigger problem in our culture than it was 100 years ago or just less covert?
3. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
4. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: 2 Samuel 11-12 (read passages noted in questions)
There’s a story about a man who was shopping with his wife at a mall kiosk, and as they were looking at the items, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. His eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining, his wife asked, “Was it worth the trouble you’re in?”
Lust is often considered merely a strong sexual attraction to another person, which begs the question, “what’s the big deal?” However, lust, as biblically defined, is “a strong craving or desire, often of a sexual nature… relating primarily either to a strong desire for sexual immorality or idolatrous worship.” We may chuckle at this story, but when we are honest with ourselves, this sin can quickly master even the strongest faith.
Within our human sexuality, lust is a perversion of God's will concerning sex and our sexual desires. The motive of lust can be boiled down to self-gratification at the expense of others, at the expense of a relationship with God, and even to the detriment of self. Most everyone is susceptible to the temptations of lust. Through our culture and the media, sexuality has gone mainstream and is a profitable business in our society.
Take some time as a group to read 2 Samuel 11:12 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
Read verses 11:1-5. Where do we find King David in this story? With responsibilities such as leading his troops in battle, it begs the question: Why was David even in this situation. What are the steps in David’s downward spiral that we witness in 11:1-5?
After this event unfolds, David compounds his sin by attempting to get Bathsheba’s husband to come home for a “biblical diversion” with his wife, but when Uriah didn’t follow along, David had him setup to be murdered. David’s downward spiral continues through the end of this chapter when we read in 11:27 that Bathsheba gave birth to a son.
1. Read 12:1-6. Here, God uses Nathan the prophet to confront David in his sin. What was David’s analysis of the story Nathan told? Was David’s reaction appropriate? Why or why not?
2. Now read 12:7-12. With your group, make a list of the consequences that Nathan lists for David’s sin.
3. Finish by reading 12:13-15. What was David’s response to this direct confrontation of his sin? How do you think you would have responded?
4. Can you think of instances in your life where lust became a temptation? How did you handle the temptation? How will you deal with future temptations you may face?
5. The Greek word "porneia," translated "sexual immorality," is broad and includes sexual practices outside of God’s revealed will. Biblically, what practices are sexually immoral? Why do you think God says they are contrary to his will? For reference, see Matthew 5:27-32; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:15, 7:1-2; Romans 1:27.
6. In 12:7-12, Nathan has some very harsh words for David, who ironically had the power to have Nathan put to death or tortured, as many later kinds in Israel and Judah would do. Nathan shows great courage in the midst of this crisis. What can we learn about confronting sin in our interpersonal relationships?
7. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome lust.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Have someone from your small group write an article for the Reporter on what God is doing through your small group.
Week Six: Gluttony
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. What is your favorite food? Where do you get it?
2. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
3. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Numbers 11:1-35
People suffering with Compulsive Overeating have what is characterized as an "addiction" to food, using food and eating as a way to hide from their emotions, to fill a void they feel inside, and to cope with daily stresses and problems in their lives. Consider the following real-life confession from Tom…
“I suppose it is ironic that I work at a hospital. I was married to an alcoholic... how nice it would be to have a simple addiction like booze... you give it up and you are recovering. But you have to eat. Well I eat... when I'm hungry... when I'm full... when I'm anxious... when I'm happy... when I'm sad... well you get the idea. Food, the friend that never fails.”
“When I was a kid I was trained that food made it all better. When we were totally broke my mom would cook the most. She was a compulsive feeder so I became a compulsive eater. Every diet has failed. I am a lifer on Weight Watchers, I have been through Nutra System. But it's not about the weight... it's about the inability to deal with feelings and emotions... about using a bowl of pasta or a pound of m&m's as a narcotic to stem the pain.”
“That's what compulsive overeating is. I cry because it makes me overweight and no one sees the real me inside. I try to show the real me and I think that people don't like me because I am overweight. It’s a catch 22. I see my son gaining weight and I grieve. I want out... but then I realize that there is no out... only control... and control is harder than being in our out.”
Whether it’s compulsive or casual, overeating is symptomatic of a much deeper issue. Gluttony kills, steals and destroys. Most of us react to our overeating by trying to “cut back a little.” But is this really the answer?
There is a story told about some teenagers who were driving through a small town one night. It was late and as they approached a stop sign the driver slowed down, looked both ways and then rolled right on through. When a parked policeman saw the entire thing he turned on his lights and pulled the teenagers over. The cocky teen asked the policeman why he had pulled him over. The policeman said, you failed to stop at that intersection. But I slowed down and looked both ways, the boy insisted. Yeah, but slowing down is not the same thing as stopping, said the cop. The boy thought for a moment and said, I think what I did was just as safe as if I’d stopped. Fed up with the attitude the kid was giving him, the cop pulled the boy from the car and began to whack him in the behind with his baton. As he did he asked the kid, would you like me to stop or just slow down?
God is not asking you to cut back on your sin, He’s asking you to stop. We often play at this when it comes to food. Overeating is a sin. Are you committed to stopping or are you more likely to just cut back?
Take some time as a group to read Numbers 11:1-35 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. What had God done to bless the Israelites before they began to grumble? How did God respond to their grumbling in vv. 1-3?
2. What did the Israelites want to eat? Were they concerned with starving? What was the problem?
3. How did God respond to the Israelites cries for meat to eat?
4. When God provided meat for the Israelites how did he do it?
5. What was the response of the people? Were they thankful? Did it cause them to trust God more?
6. How did God feel about the response of His people to His blessing? What did it cause Him to do?
7. How well has God provided for your dietary needs? In light of how God responded to the Israelites how do you think He feels about the way you use the food He’s given you? Do you think He expects you to eat only what you need or what you desire?
8. Why do you think God cares so much about the amount of food people gather and consume?
9. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome gluttony.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Have someone from your small group write an article for the Reporter on what God is doing through your small group.
Week Seven: Sloth
CONNECT: 15 Minutes
1. How do you relax?
2. What would you do if the check-out person forgot to charge you for a $5.00 item and you didn’t catch it until you got home?
3. Have you done your reading? Fasting? Inviting? Ask each person in the group to rate their diligence this week .
4. What’s one thing you feel God has been telling you about your relationship with Him this past week?
GROW: 40 Minutes
Passage for Study: Matthew 25:14-29
Most people think of sloth as laziness, not doing much of anything, but just sitting around doing nothing. Slothful people may stay busy most of the time but don't do the things they should, putting them off for later. Sloth is often disguised as calmness, serenity, keeping a level head, open mindedness. But the Bible describes the slothful person as an evildoer.
In the popular musical, “My Fair Lady,” Eliza’s father is a character of great slothfulness. In a song titled, “With a Little Bit o’ Luck,” he sums up the thinking of the man of sloth when he sings:
The Lord above gave man an arm of iron So he could do his job and never shirk. The Lord gave man an arm of iron-but With a little bit of luck, With a little bit of luck, Someone else'll do the blinkin' work! With a little bit...with a little bit... With a little bit of luck you'll never work!
Take some time as a group to read Matthew 25:14-29 aloud then answer the following discussion
questions:
Questions:
1. According to this passage, how does God view the time and talents that He’s given you? Are they yours to do with as you like?
2. How did the faithful servants gain more talents?
3. In what ways has God given more talents to some than others?
4. According to this passage is God more concerned with how much you accomplish or what you do with the opportunities you’ve been given?
5. What principle does God teach us in v. 26? How can we apply this to our lives today?
6. How does God reward those who work diligently?
7. How does God reward those who are lazy or slothful?
8. In what ways is slothfulness made more acceptable in our culture?
9. As a group, come up with a short statement (30 words or less) that sums up what you have discovered about how to overcome slothfulness.
Summary Statement:
PRAYER: 10 Minutes
Take a few minutes to share prayer requests. Spend enough time in prayer that each request can be prayed for. Focus on praying for each other to overcome the sinful habits that are becoming more clear to you.
PLAN: 10 Minutes
1. Have someone from your small group write an article for the Reporter on what God is doing through your small group.
2. Decide as a group if you are going to continue to meet after the 40 Days Campaign is over.
3. Let the Small Groups team leader know what your group decides.
posted by pastordan at 1:34 PM
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