Episodes
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How come life gets so busy, so complicated, so quickly? Simplifying does not mean we do less or give all our stuff away, rather it gives us a focal point, bringing everything into perspective and making room for God. We will explore how the apostle Paul’s life was simplified when he ended up in jail yet was content and joyful. Paul’s letter to the Philippians will help us put things in perspective and simplify our lives.
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In a world consumed by the noise of life we can easily forget both the power and necessity of quietness. Yes, God speaks above the chaos and can come marching boldly into our situations, but He also desires to speak to us in moments of quiet, where we lean in and experience the intimacy of His gentle whisper. Let’s come together this Saturday as we explore the spiritual discipline of “Quieting” from the perspective of 1 Kings 19:9-18.
Getting started:
1. What is the noisiest part of your life? OR Share a time where you have been overwhelmed by noise. OR
Share a time when you have experienced the power of silence.Digging Deeper - 1 Kings 19:9-18
2. What do you notice about this conversation between God and Elijah?
3. What was the cave for Elijah?
4. What was the cave for God?
5. In what ways do we listen for God in our everyday?
6. How does Elijah respond to God whispering in that moment?
a. How does his posture change?
b. How does his listening change?
c. Whataction comes out of it that was different from before?
7. How does a gentle whisper prove pivotal to the story?
a. God’s approach
b. Elijah’s response
8. Do you believe that God still whispers today?
a. How can a gentle, but direct, conversation with God impact someone’s
trajectory?How To Apply This:
9. What needs to change in your own life for a whisper from God to be heard?
10. Are you willing to hear and respond to what God has to say?
a. What time and space are you going to give this week for God to speak into your life?
b. How are you going to practice sitting without speaking, trusting that God will show up in your
silence -
Missing episodes?
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In this passage, Jesus shares on the need for self-denial and sacrifice in following Him. He highlights that true life is found in losing one's life for His sake and questions the value of worldly gain if it costs one's soul for eternity. This teaching underlines the eternal significance of prioritising spiritual over material wealth in our lives. Join us this Saturday as we dig deeper into this passage.
Getting started:
1. Share a time when you had to yield or surrender something for someone else so they
could receive the benefit or the spotlight?Digging Deeper - Matthew 16:24-26
2. What does it mean to “deny oneself” in the context of following Jesus?
3. How do we practically “take up our cross” in our daily life?
4. In what ways might following Jesus requiresacrifice or hardship?
5. How can the desire to “save our life” lead to losing it?
6. How do material possessions and worldly success compare to the value of one’s soul?
7. How can we guard against the temptation to exchange our soul for worldly gains?How to Apply This:
6. What specificactions can you takethis week to deny yourselfand follow Jesus more
closely?
7. Is there an area in your life where you need to let go of worldly pursuits to focus more
on your spiritual growth?
8. How can you share the message of this passage with others in your community or
sphere of influence? -
Our society proclaims messages of ‘if it feels good do it”, or “live YOUR truth”, which fly in opposition to God’s truth and ways. This week we will explore how Biblical fasting is a call to seek God’s ways, and discover that He has so much more for us, like he did for Daniel, when we acknowledge Him!
Getting Started:
1. Share a time that you fasted, or intentionally said no to something in order to make
room for something better?Digging Deeper - Daniel 1:8-16
2. Describe how you think Daniel felt, as he was faced with the plan for his life in verse 5.
3. What are some of the cultural temptations and tests that Daniel would have had to
face, being in the court and company of King Nebuchadnezzar?
4. How does the different motivations of the characters/groups in the story inform their
behaviours?
5. How does this passage reveal God’s working and plans for Daniel’s life?
6. What does Daniel’s behaviour reveal about his beliefs about God?How To Apply This:
6. What cultural temptations and tests are you facing in your life, that may need you to
‘resolve not to defile yourself’ in?
7. Of the 3 Keys for Fasting, which do you think would be most difficult for you,and why?
· Keep God at the Centre
· Let it reveal what controls you
· Lean into your own weakness
8. How can you see the practise of FASTING to MAKE ROOM for Jesus, becoming part of
your journey of ABIDING? -
Of all the spiritual disciplines “Sabbathing” may not actually seem like it’s something we need to worry about because it just is. If we choose to go to church on Saturday then we are keeping the Sabbath. This week we explore Isaiah 58:13-14 as we consider just how significant honouring the Sabbath is for our growth in Jesus as His disciples.
Getting Started:
1. What is your favourite thing about Sabbath?
2. What is your favourite thing to do on Sabbath?Digging Deeper - Isaiah 58:13-14
3. What stands out for you in this passage?
4. In what ways can what pleases us contradict what it pleases God?
5. What makes the Sabbath holy?
6. How do these verses challenge you?
7. What is the invitation in these verses?
8. Why is it significant for usas disciples to find joy in theSabbath?
9. What is God’s purpose in us experiencing the gift of the Sabbath?How To Apply This
8. How is God challenging you to grow in your experience of the Sabbath?
9. What new ways are you going to seek God during Sabbath?
10. What might you need to let go of or include in order for you to honour the gift of the
Sabbath? -
God’s Word is so good that it’s worth holding onto! The days of the Bible held a culture of memorising scripture. How could this practice become a discipline in your life though? This Sabbath we explore a second way of Making Room with God’s Word, by hiding it in our heart. Let’s find creative ways to hold onto the Bible, so it can hold onto us!
Getting Started
1. The last part of our “Make Room” series invited us to hear God through His Word more. How have you been making your time in the Bible a priority since then?Digging Deeper – John 15:4-6
2. What role does loving God (v5) have with memorising scripture?
3. Why is it important to memorise the Bible today?
4. Which image of memorising from verses 6-9 connect with you the most?
5. How do we memorise scripture as an act of relationship and not tradition?
6. What is the best method for you to memorise something?How To Apply This
7. When will you implement the spiritual discipline of memorising God’s Word over the next week? -
It’s amazing to think that God wants to speak to us. That’s right, that includes YOU. How available are we to hear God’s voice though? This week we make room for the habit of hearing. And this is all about making God’s Word a priority in your life. Let’s continue to build our lives on the transforming power of the Bible.
Getting Started:
1. Last week’s spiritual discipline was PRAISING. How have you practiced this in your life
over the last week?Digging Deeper - Romans 10:14-17:
2. What are the biggest barriers that stop us from hearing God today?
3. What is the relationship between believing in God and hearing from Him? Which
comes first?
4. How does Romans 10 suggest that people can hear from God? (Verse 15)
5. Is reading from the Bible the only way to hear from God? If not, why should we read it?
6. How can we ensure our Bible interactions allow us to hear God and not just receive
information?How To Apply This:
7. How will you deepen your time in God’s Word over the next week? -
Being thankful is something that can boost our mood, shift our perspective, and even open our eyes to God’s active presence in our lives. Praising however, is next level, as it calls us even closer to experience a deepening intimacy with God. This week we continue with part 3 in our sermon series MAKE ROOM as we explore the spiritual discipline of “Praising”.
Getting Started:
1. Where is the place that you connect most with God? OR what is your favourite way to praise
God?Digging Deeper:
2. How does this passage describe praise?
3. What is the relationship between thanksgiving and praise?
4. Why do we have reason to praise? (be careful not to make this about what He does for you)
5. In what ways is verse 3 central to this passage?
6. What makes God good?
7. How can praise grow us as disciples?
8. What are the barriers that stop us from praising God as a spiritual disciple?
9. What does praise require of us?How to apply this:
10. As a class come up with as many names/characteristics used to describe God
a. Which one(s) stand out to you right now? Why?
b. Without asking God for anything, praise Him using that name/characteristic.
11. How are you going to implement the spiritual discipline of praising into your new week?
a. Complete commitment card (will be delivered to discussion groups on Sabbath) -
Where we start in our relationship with Jesus, strongly determines the way we live life. This week we are exploring the practise of Stopping, (yes you heard correctly) in order to position ourselves in the best starting place to make room for our relationship with God.
Discussion Question - Luke 10:38-42 (also John 12:1-3)
Getting Started:
Share a time when you needed to, or were brought to a STOP, that changed the direction of
your life?Digging Deeper – Luke 10:38-42 (also John 12:1-3)
- Describe the 2 perspectives of the sisters. In your current relationship with Jesus, do you
most connect with the experience of Mary or Martha?
- What are some of the ‘distractions’ (they may be good or unhelpful) that show up for you
regularly?
- In the passage in Luke we see Martha serving, discuss some of the feelings and attitudes she
most likely was having that led to her encounter with Jesus?
- In the passage in John we see Mary serving, discuss some of the feelings and attitudes she
most likely was having that led to her encounter with Jesus?
- Why do you think STOPPING to sit at Jesus feet is the ‘one thing’, the ‘better’ thing that Jesus
commends Mary for, and encourages Martha and us to do?How To Apply This:
- Of the 3 postures forSTOPPING (To sit at Jesus feet. To stand back to reflect. To face
forward to refocus) which do you feel the Holy Spirit inviting you to adopt, to prepare
for the next season of your discipleship journey?
- Mary was deliberate, shocking even claiming to be a disciple by sitting at Jesus feet;
what deliberate, bold and obvious way can you MAKE ROOM and demonstrate your
desire to be a disciple of Jesus this week? -
Sometimes we need to make room for the important things in life. This week we begin a new series about doing this through spiritual disciplines. How are you making room for God in your life? The series will unpack a discipline each week for the next 3 months. We first paint the over all purpose, that Jesus invites us to live an intentional life that prioritises abiding with Him.
Discussion Questions - John 15:4-6
Ice-Breaker
What does it means to abide? How does Jesus’ analogy of a vine/branch help us with the definition?Digging Deeper
Why is it important for a branch to abide with a vine or trunk?Is it possible to go to church and not abide in Jesus? What are the consequences?How do we understand “being thrown out in the fire” (verse 6) in the light of God’s love?Is abiding with Jesus more about setting boundaries or living with consistency? Which of these is God calling you to grow more right now?How can we abide with God more effectively today? What would it take?Application
What lifestyle shift could you put in place for this “make room” series over the next three months?
