Conformed or Transformed: Discerning the Times as We Follow Jesus, Part 2
You are living in a context that is sending you messages about life, God, yourself, and much more. It takes no effort to be influenced by culture, but as believers, only Jesus should be allowed to shape our identity.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing about this message that you found particularly compelling, encouraging, challenging, or beneficial?
- Read and discuss John 16:33, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5, and Acts 9:15-16. What do these verses tell us about Jesus? What are the implications for us? How has the world shaped your expectation of what Jesus should do for you?
- Do you think the presence of difficulty means the absence of God’s love? Why? How do you need to see your difficulties as God shaping you and not punishing you?
- Read and discuss 1 Kings 19:11-12, 1 Corinthians 6:12, Luke 5:16. What do these verses tell us about Jesus? What are the implications for us? How has the world shaped an inability to quieten your inner self?
- What does your time alone with Jesus look like? How can you move toward less time & dependence on technology (or other distractions) and more time in your day with Jesus?
- Read and discuss Mark 3:14 and Matthew 8:18. What do these verses tell us about Jesus? What are the implications for us? How as the world shaped a pace of life that you cannot maintain?
- Would you consider yourself more of a “human being” or a “human doing”? In what ways do you need to cut back and find a more sustainable pace of life?
- Read and discuss Galatians 6:2, John 13:34-35 and Matthew 5:43-44. What do these verses tell us about Jesus? What are the implications for us? How has the world shaped our focus to put “me” over “we”?
- How can you put someone first this week? In what way(s) can you choose to be inconvenienced for the sake of loving others?
- Read and discuss Hebrews 10:24-25 and Galatians 6:2. What do these verses tell us about Jesus? What are the implications for us? How has the world shaped an over-connection to virtual friends at the expense of real relationships?
- What relationships can you determine to deepen? What do you need to do to make that happen?
- Read and discuss Genesis 2:18-25 and Ephesians 5:25-29 What do these verses tell us about men and women? By contrast, how has the world shaped our perspective on men and women?
- Men, in what ways do you need to reject passivity and initiate with care? Women, how do you need to empower those around you?
Click the button below to download Pastor Jim’s “Six Ways the World Has Shaped Us” and the corresponding challenges.