spiritually fit

---

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

Getting Spiritually Fit for Life Rich Nathan January 12-13, 2013 Fit for Life Series 2 Peter 1.3-11

INTERACTING  WITH  THE  SERMON   SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  SERMON    

 

Rich  began  by  talking  about  the  decline  of  the  influence  of  Christianity  in  the  western  world.  It  is  important   that  we  not  only  be  physically  fit,  but  we  must  be  spiritually  fit.  In  the  passage  from  2  Peter,  Peter  draws  a   sharp   contrast   between   2   kinds   of   Christian   live.   First,   one   that   is   ineffective   and   unproductive.   Where   they   aren’t   sure   how   to   attain   a   authentic   Christian   life.     But   God   has   given   us   everything   we   need   to   become  the  kind  of  people  He  wants  us  to  be.  Some  people  may  try  to  get  what  they  need  to  live  the  good   Christian   life   by   sheer   will   power,   but   we   cannot   do   it   apart   from   Christ’s   power.   And   through   that   power,   we   have   access   to   God’s   promises   of   rest,   hope   and   guidance.     The   problem   is   that   most   of   us   are   not   “making  every  effort.”  We  take  the  path  of  least  resistance.  To  grow  we  need  to  take  it  one  step  at  a  time.   We  need  to  “furnish  out”  our  faith  with  other  qualities  of  the  Christian  life  like  knowledge  &  self-­‐control.   We  also  need  vision  in  our  lives  to  change.  Vision  is  what  sustains  us  through  opposition.  Otherwise  we   end  up  “nearsighted”  and  we  can’t  see  the  promises  of  Christ  for  our  future.     In  5  minutes  or  less,  briefly  give  a  synopsis  of  this  week’s  sermon.    What  insight,  principle,  or  observation   from  this  weekend’s  message  did  you  find  to  be  most  helpful,  eye-­‐opening,  or  troubling?    Explain.    

GETTING  THE  CONVERSATION  STARTED  

These  questions  can  be  used  as  ice-­‐breakers  in  the  beginning  OR  interwoven  between  the  questions  below   to  draw  the  group  into  the  discussion.   • What  are  one  or  two  things  from  this  weekend’s  sermon  that  really  stood  out  to  you?     • What  are  some  of  the  qualities  from  1  Peter  1:3-­‐11  that  you  want  to  see  in  your  life  in  the  new  year?  

  Rich  talks  about  this  list  not  being  in  any  particular  order  but  that  it  starts  with  faith  and  ends  with  love.  What   does   faith   and   love   look   like?   Jesus   talks   about   this   in   one   of   his   last   speeches   to   his   disciples   before   he   is   crucified.      

SCRIPTURE  STUDY  

Read  John  15:5-­‐17    

 

5  

“I  am  the  vine;  you  are  the  branches.  If  you  remain  in  me  and  I  in  you,  you  will  bear  much  fruit;  apart   from  me  you  can  do  nothing.  6  If  you  do  not  remain  in  me,  you  are  like  a  branch  that  is  thrown  away   and  withers;  such  branches  are  picked  up,  thrown  into  the  fire  and  burned.  7  If  you  remain  in  me  and   my  words  remain  in  you,  ask  whatever  you  wish,  and  it  will  be  done  for  you.  8  This  is  to  my  Father’s   glory,  that  you  bear  much  fruit,  showing  yourselves  to  be  my  disciples.  

1

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide 9  

“As  the  Father  has  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved  you.  Now  remain  in  my  love.  10  If  you  keep  my   commands,  you  will  remain  in  my  love,  just  as  I  have  kept  my  Father’s  commands  and  remain  in  his   love.  11  I  have  told  you  this  so  that  my  joy  may  be  in  you  and  that  your  joy  may  be  complete.  12  My   command  is  this:  Love  each  other  as  I  have  loved  you.  13  Greater  love  has  no  one  than  this:  to  lay  down   one’s  life  for  one’s  friends.  14  You  are  my  friends  if  you  do  what  I  command.  15  I  no  longer  call  you   servants,  because  a  servant  does  not  know  his  master’s  business.  Instead,  I  have  called  you  friends,  for   everything  that  I  learned  from  my  Father  I  have  made  known  to  you.  16  You  did  not  choose  me,  but  I   chose  you  and  appointed  you  so  that  you  might  go  and  bear  fruit—fruit  that  will  last—and  so  that   whatever  you  ask  in  my  name  the  Father  will  give  you.  17  This  is  my  command:  Love  each  other.    

•

VV.  5-­‐6  &  16  (observation)  What  does  Jesus  say  is  the  purpose  for  which  the  branches  exist?   How  are  the  branches  effected  by  their  dependence  on  the  vine?  Jump  down  to  verse  16.  It   says  we  are  chosen  by  God.  Why  are  we  chosen?  (Interpretation)  What  do  you  think  “bearing   fruit”  looks  like?  Does  it  look  different  for  different  people?  (see  Galatians  5:22-­‐23  for  more   ideas)    

•

VV.  7-­‐8  (interpretation)  What  do  you  think  it  means  to  “remain  in  Jesus”  and  have  his  “words   remain  in  us”?  What  are  some  practical  ways  we  can  do  that?  (interpretation)  What  effect  does   remaining   in   Jesus   have   on   our   prayer   life?   (“ask   whatever   you   wish,   and   it   will   be   done   for   you”).  What  is  the  reason  for  us  bearing  fruit  in  our  lives?  (for  God’s  glory).       (Application)  Do  you  feel  you  are  remaining  in  Jesus?  Are  you  remaining  in  his  love?  What  are   the  challenges  you  are  facing?  What  successes  have  you  experienced?  How  are  you  feeling  in   your  prayer  life?  How  would  you  like  to  grow  in  your  relationship  with  Jesus  this  year?       VV.  9-­‐11  (observation)  What  is  the  result  of  keeping  God’s  commands?  (we  will  remain  in  his   love)  (interpretation)  What  does  the  Father’s  love  for  Jesus  look  like?  What  did  Jesus’  love  for   his  disciples  look  like?  (interpretation)  People  often  think  of  Christianity  as  a  joyless  observation   of   commands.   What   answer   to   that   idea   is   contained   in   these   verses?   (application)   Is   it   your   experience?     VV.  12-­‐13  &  17  (observation)  What  does  Jesus  clearly  command  his  disciples  to  do  in  verse  12  &   17?  (love  each  other  as  he  has  loved  us).  What  does  that  love  look  like?  (“lay  down  our  life”)   (interpretation/application)   What   does   “laying   down   our   life”   look   like   practically?   Can   you   think  of  some  examples?  How  could  we  “lay  down  our  lives”  for  each  other  in  this  group?     VV.   14-­‐15   (observation)   What   does   Jesus   call   us   if   we   do   what   he   commands?   (friends)   (interpretation)   What   do   you   think   it   means   to   be   called   “friends”   instead   of   “servants”   (also   observation,  in  verse  15  Jesus  says  that  he  will  tell  us  “his  Father’s  business”  –  what  could  that   look  like?)    

 

•

•

•

•

 

 

2

Sermon-Based Small Group Leader’s Discussion Guide

MINISTRY  APPLICATION    

Below   you’ll   see   some   options   for   ministry   time   with   your   group.   We   always   encourage   you   to   reserve   time  in  your  group  to  pray  for  one  another  and  wait  on  the  Holy  Spirit.     •

Many  of  us  have  been  following  Jesus  for  a  long  time.  Others  have  been  following  only  for  a  short   time.  Both  groups  though  often  don’t  take  time  to  allow  that  initial  introduction  to  Jesus  to  deepen   into  an  intimate  knowing.       David  Benner  says  in  his  book,  The  Gift  of  Being  Yourself:     “Though  we  glibly  talk  about  a  personal  relationship  with  God,  many  of  us  know  God  less  well  than   we  know  our  casual  acquaintances.  Too  easily  we  have  settled  for  knowing  about  God.  Too  easily   our  relationship  with  God  is  remarkably  superficial.”     Break  into  smaller  groups  of  2  or  3.  Discuss,  do  you  feel  that  you  are  a  friend  of  God  or  a  servant?   Do  you  feel  chosen  by  Him?  Do  you  feel  loved  unconditionally  by  Him?  Why  or  why  not?  What  is   holding  you  back  from  really  receiving  God’s  love?  Pray  for  each  other  to  be  able  to  receive  the  love   of  God  and  understand  their  place  in  Him.  

•

Many  Christians  have  used  a  practice  called  imaginative  prayer  to  have  a  deeper  encounter  with   Jesus.  Practice  this  with  your  group.  You  can  use  this  passage  or  another  of  the  gospel  accounts   that  you  would  prefer.  Read  aloud  Luke  18:35-­‐43.  Read  it  slowly  and  intentionally.  Allow  your   group  member  to  absorb  the  words.  The  first  time,  read  it  and  have  everyone  listen  (no  one   reading  along  with  you).  No  need  to  journal  or  do  anything.  Then  read  it  aloud  again.  This  time  tell   everyone  to  put  themselves  somewhere  in  the  story  while  you  read.  Maybe  they  are  an  observer  or   they  are  the  blind  man  himself.    Ask  them  to  pay  attention  to  their  feelings  while  they  are  in  the   scene.  How  do  they  feel  about  Jesus,  frustrated?  Amazed?  Curious?  What  do  they  want  to  do?  How   do  they  react  to  Jesus  from  where  they  are  in  the  story?  Finally,  read  it  one  more  time  while  they   put  themselves  in  the  scene  again.  This  time,  write  down  your  reactions  and  feelings  at  being  in  the   scene.  Break  into  small  groups  and  discuss  your  experience  with  this  kind  of  prayer.  

 

3