Here to Stay: Week 6

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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:
  1. Talk with God about everything
  2. Tell God what you need
  3. Thank him for what he has done

  Philippians 4:6-7 Prayer Promises:

  1. You will experience God’s Peace in your heart and mind.
  2. You may not understand more, but it won’t matter- prayer dismantles the need to understand everything
  3. Roundup for your heart and mind, inoculation against the weeds of fear & worry.