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This week at Society we continued our new series called “Here to Stay” which is a sermon series focused around producing a richer spiritual life and growth where we are planted.
Getting to Know You
What is your favorite Spring/Summer activity?
Getting Started
Read through Matthew 13:1-23
Which state of the soil do you most identify with right now?
- The Footpath Soil- Hard hearted, unteachable, resistant, embittered through seasons
- The Rocky Soil- Short Lived Growth, underlying issues, feelings based spirituality
- The Weedy Soil- Growth that gets crowded out, easily distracted by fear or greed.
- The Good Soil- Tender and responsive, viewing challenges as fertilizer, teachable, forgiving, open minded, courageous, generous and honest.
Going Deeper
Pulling Up the Weeds of Fear
Re-read Matthew 13:22
- In your life what would you consider the “worries of life”?
- How might fear play a part in worry and anxiety?
Read Mark 8:34-37 together
- How does Jesus say we “save our life”?
- What do you think it means for us to “give up our life”?
- What are some helpful ways you have found to overcome the power of fear in your life?
- What where some Anxiety Prevention or Anxiety Killer practices mentioned in the message that you might want to try out?
Read Philippians 4:6-7
- What are some practices prescribed in this passage for us to overcome the power of worry and experience God’s peace?
Pulling up the Weeds of Greed
Re-read Matthew 13:22
- What do you think Jesus is referring to when he says the “lure of wealth”?
- What are some ways we can get caught up in a continual pursuit for MORE?”
Read 1 Timothy 6:6-11
- What are we encouraged towards in this passage?
- What are we warned about in this passage?
- Do you have to be rich in order to fall prey to the “love of money”?
- What are some “sorrows” we might experience through a “love of money”?
Application Reflection
- What are you currently worried about? (Use these as the group prayer list at the end of the your group time)
- How might you be able to deal with your worry/fear/anxiety in a more life giving way?
- How might you overcome your tendency towards greed and become a more generous person?
- What role might the church play in helping, equipping and inspiring you to be a more generous person in all areas o life?
- Are there some financial management principles (tracking spending, budgeting, debt, savings and generosity) that need to be reassessed so you can live into a generous life more fully? What does that look like for you? Do you know where to start?
Group Prayer
- Use your group list of worries to pray for one another and express a healthy helping of gratitude mixed in with the time of prayer.
- Follow the Philippians 4:6-7 model of prayer:
- Talk with God about everything
- Tell God what you need
- Thank him for what he has done
Philippians 4:6-7 Prayer Promises:
- You will experience God’s Peace in your heart and mind.
- You may not understand more, but it won’t matter- prayer dismantles the need to understand everything
- Roundup for your heart and mind, inoculation against the weeds of fear & worry.