Sunday, May 2
Make A Plan: Officially, this is the last week for this LIVE Group semester. LIVE Groups will take a summer break and relaunch in the fall, when kids go back to school. But, if your group has not yet completed your Serve Project, it’s not too late to get it done. And, you may want to plan a BBQ or something fun so your group can get together over the summer.
Discussion Questions:
- Have you ever planted anything form seed? What did you plant and where did you get the seed? Talk about how a seed works.
- Read John 12:20-36. What questions and observations do you have?
- Jesus uses 2 metaphors in this section: seeds and light. Work as a group to explain the seed metaphor.
- In verse 25, is Jesus encouraging self-loathing and suicide? What is Jesus actually saying?
- Jesus says if we’re going to follow him, we need to follow his example and plant our lives, like seeds (verse 26). Give some practical examples of what it looks like for us to plant our lives.
- In verses 28-30 the Father speaks from heaven. What does he say, why did he say it, and what’s it matter to us?
- Verse 31 mentions “the prince of this world,” which is the Devil. According to verses 31-33, what will happen to him and why?
- Work as a group to explain the light metaphor in verses 35-36.
Best & Better: Since this is the final week for LIVE Group, have everyone share the best thing about the group and one thing that could make LIVE Group even better next semester.
Pray: Share your prayer requests and pray for each other.
Sunday, April 25
Get To Know Your Group: When you run to the grocery store, are you more likely to forget one thing off the list or add one thing that wasn’t on your list?
Make A Plan: Each semester, every LIVE Group plans and does a Serve Project. A project where the entire group works together to serve people outside of the church in Jesus’ name. By now you should have talked about some great project ideas. Today you get to choose one of your ideas and start planning the details.
Discussion Questions:
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how much can you handle? 1 is you know you can only handle one thing at a time; 10 is you enjoy juggling lots of things all at once.
- When you’re overwhelmed, you’re most likely to: double your efforts, eat something tasty, ask for help, procrastinate, go somewhere peaceful, do something fun, or… ?
- According to the sermon, why does God allow us to experience more than we can handle? (Yes, you can revisit your notes) Can you think of any additional reasons?
- Read Paul’s personal experience with having more than he could handle in 2nd Corinthians 12:7b-10. What questions or observations do you have?
- According to the verses, why did God give Paul more than Paul could handle?
- How did Paul respond?
- Paul declares, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” What does he mean by this?
- What specific weaknesses do you need to embrace to fully experience the power of God?
- What’s overwhelming you and how can your LIVE Group pray for you?
Memorize: Work with your group to memorize the last line of 2nd Corinthians 12:10, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
Pray: Share your prayer requests and pray for each other. Also, be sure to pray for your group Serve Project
Sunday, April 18
Get To Know Your Group: In the story we’ll read today, one of the characters is ready to commit suicide because of their job. What’s the worst job you ever had?
Discussion Questions:
- Read Acts 16:16-36. What questions or observations do you have about this account?
- The fortune teller in the beginning of the story, plus verses 20-21 show us that Paul and Silas were in a place like ours where lots of religious ideas bump into each other. What other religions have you bumped up against during your life?
- Why were Paul and Silas thrown in prison? And how did they escape?
- What was the jailer’s question to Paul and Silas? And what was their answer?
- How many options did Paul and Silas give the jailer? Why not more?
- What did the jailer and his family do to “get to heaven”?
- In the sermon we talked about “Do” and “Done.” How does this apply to the jailer?
- Read 1st Peter 3:15-16. Considering this verse, and anything else you might know from the Bible, how should we respond to someone who says, “There are multiple was to heaven”?
- Considering the verses from 1st Peter, how should we not respond?
Make A Plan: Each semester, every LIVE Group plans and does a Serve Project. A project where the entire group works together to serve people outside of the church in Jesus’ name. Take a few moments to share project ideas, creating a list. Next week you can choose one of your ideas and start planning the details.
Pray: Share your prayer requests and pray for each other. Also, be sure to pray for your group Serve Project.
Sunday, April 11
Get To Know Your Group:
What are 3 things, besides Jesus, that make you happy?
Discussion Questions:
- How do most people use the term “blessed”?
- What does “blessed” actually mean? Consider the definition given in the sermon.
- Compare and contrast being happy and being blessed. How are they similar? How are they different?
- Read Galatians 3:13-14 out loud. What questions or observations do you have?
- According to these verses, who is blessed? How do we become blessed?
- According to these verses, what is the blessing of God?
- In Matthew 5:1-12, rather than talking about being happy, Jesus talks about being blessed. Read these verses out loud.
- Read the same verses again, but this time replace the word “blessed” with the phrase, “More than happy are the people who know God’s favor who” and see what happens.
- Which of these statements from Jesus means the most to you today? Why that one?
Make A Plan:
Each semester, every LIVE Group plans and does a Serve Project. A project where the entire group works together to serve people outside of the church in Jesus’ name. Take a few moments to start talking about the concept. Next week you can start a list of Serve Project ideas.
Pray:
Share your prayer requests and pray for each other.
