Seeing the Kingdom by Northland Church

Seeing the Kingdom

Live life with the mind of Christ.

Dr. Joel C. Hunter

Seeing the Kingdom Dr. Joel C. Hunter

Live life with the mind of Christ.

© Copyright 2017 by Northland, A Church Distributed ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Published by Distributed Church Press 530 Dog Track Road, Longwood, Florida 32750 Contributors Creative Direction Northland Church Design Team Cover Design Clark Orr Page Layout Arturo Liranzo Northland Church Design Team Photography Troy Lano Alina Areopagita Copyright and use of the curriculum template is retained by Brett Eastman. Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 and 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. ISBN 978–1–5323–3049–0 Printed in the United States of America

Contents Welcome from Dr. Joel C. Hunter...........................................................................................................................................................ii Using This Workbook (Read This First)............................................................................................................................................iv Outline for Each Session............................................................................................................................................................................iv

Session One

Seeing everyone is valuable.

Session Two

Seeing I have been sought by God and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m called to seek others. 20 Session Three

Seeing we are sent partially trained. Session Four

Seeing repentance brings rehabilitation. Session Five

Seeing the Church is about relationships.

34 48 62

Session Six

Seeing I am continually being equipped for ministry. 76 Appendices Memory Verse Cards (Clip and Review)........................................................................................................................................91 Prayer and Praise Report.........................................................................................................................................................................93 Group Contact Information................................................................................................................................................................... 98

Welcome So glad you are reading this because I want to invite YOU to join in some great Kingdom conversations. The discussion guide in your hand is small, but its pages hold some big help for connecting with people - whether or not you have a lot in common with them. Let’s face it. If we are ever going to love like Christ, we need to see our lives with Christ’s perspective. This study helps us do that. And as we develop this kind of Kingdom perspective, we can start to build bridges with those who are different from us. This study helps us do that, too. But it doesn’t do that by way of this little guide alone. The more significant resource you have in this study are the people you get to sit with every week for discussion! We all need people in our lives who really know us and are praying for us. We need folks we can turn to when we fail to see progress despite our best efforts; we also need them when we are celebrating what God has done. And guess what, they need us. This six-session group Bible study can go a very long way in training us in Kingdom thinking and engaging us in inspiring discussions that help clarify and also motivate us to love like Jesus loves.

To get the most out of this series, I hope you will: Get to know the people in your group. Dive into the Scripture, think through the questions and join the discussion. Pray for and serve those in your sphere of influence. Our Key Scripture for this six-week small group study is 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 (NIV) : “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”

iii

Using This Workbook

Outline of Each Session

TOOLS TO HELP YOU HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE:

A typical session for the Seeing the Kingdom study will include the following sections. Read through this to get a clear idea of how each discussion will be structured:

1. Use this workbook as a guide, not a straitjacket. If your group responds to the lesson in an unexpected but honest way, go with that. If you think of a better question than the next one in the lesson, ask it. 2. Read the following Outline of Each Session so that you understand how the sessions will flow. 3. Pray before each session—for the others in the conversation, for your time together, and for wisdom and insights.

WEEKLY MEMORY VERSES Each session opens with a Memory Verse that emphasizes an important truth from the session. This is an optional exercise, but we believe that memorizing scripture can be a vital part of filling our minds with God’s will for our lives. We encourage you to give this important habit a try. The verses for our six sessions are also listed in the appendices. INTRODUCTION Each lesson opens with a brief thought that will help you prepare for the session and get you thinking about the particular subject you will explore with your group. SHARE YOUR STORY The foundation for spiritual growth is an intimate connection with God and His family. You build that connection by sharing your story with a few people who really know you and who earn your trust. This section includes some simple questions to get you talking— letting you share as much or as little of your story as you feel comfortable doing. Each session typically offers you two options.

HEAR GOD’S STORY In this section, you’ll read the Bible and listen to teaching in order to hear God’s story— and begin to see how His story aligns with yours. When the study directs you to, you’ll watch a short teaching segment. You’ll then have an opportunity to read a passage of scripture, and discuss both the teaching and the text. The focus isn’t on accumulating information, but on how you should live in light of the Word of God. We want to help you apply the insights from Scripture practically and creatively, from your heart as well as your head. At the end of the day, allowing the timeless truths from God’s Word to transform your life in Christ should be your greatest aim.

DIGGING DEEPER If you have time and want to dig deeper into more Bible passages about the topic at hand, we’ve provided additional passages and questions which you can use either during your time together or later for personal study. Your group may choose to read and prepare before each meeting in order to cover more biblical material. Or, you can use the Digging Deeper section during the week after the discussion. If you prefer not to do study homework, this section will provide you with plenty to discuss together.

CREATE A NEW STORY God wants you to be a part of His Kingdom— to weave your story into His. That will mean change. It will require you to go His way rather than your own. This won’t happen overnight, but it should happen steadily. By making small, simple choices, we can begin to change our direction. This is where the Bible’s instructions to “be doers of the Word, not just hearers” (James 1:22) comes into play. Many people skip over this aspect of the Christian life because it’s scary, relationally awkward or simply too much work for their busy schedules. But Jesus wanted all of His disciples to know Him personally, carry out His commands and help outsiders connect with Him. This doesn’t necessarily mean preaching on street corners. It could mean welcoming newcomers, hosting a short-term group in your home or walking through this study with a friend. In this study you’ll have an opportunity to go beyond Bible study to biblical living. This section will also have a question or two that will challenge you to live out your faith by serving others, sharing your faith, and worshiping God.

DAILY DEVOTIONALS Each week on the Daily Devotionals pages, we provide Scriptures to read and reflect on between sessions. This provides you with a chance to slow down, read just a small portion of scripture each day and reflect and pray through it. You’ll then have a chance to journal your response to what you’ve read. Use this section to seek God on your own throughout the week. This time at home should begin and end with prayer. Don’t get in a hurry; take enough time to hear God’s direction.

Session 1

Seeing Everyone is valuable.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12

Seeing that everyone is valuable is living with the mind of Christ. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all changed our minds about things. Perhaps you once hated spinach or Brussels sprouts and now you actually enjoy them. Maybe you wanted a dog until you realized how much work it involved or maybe you chose fifteen college majors before settling on the right one. Part of being human is learning, growing and changing. However, there are some changes we experience only with Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help. Although we get to decide about the dog or the college degree, God promises to change us in more significant ways. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, God enables us to understand Him more fully and know Him more deeply. When we choose to follow Him, He also changes the way we think about ourselves, our fellow Christians and our mission. He transforms us so we can actually begin thinking like Him. When God changes our minds, He changes our lives and gives us an entirely new perspective on how we value others and ourselves in His Kingdom.

Share Your Story Each of us has a story. The events of our life—good, bad, wonderful or challenging—have shaped who we are. God knows your story, and He intends to redeem it—to use every struggle and every joy to ultimately bring you to Himself. When we share our stories with others, we give them the opportunity to see God at work. When we share our stories, we also realize we are not alone—that we have common experiences and thoughts, and that others can understand what we are going through. Your story can encourage someone else and telling it can lead to a path of freedom for you and for those you share it with.

Use the following questions and activities to get people talking. What brought you here? What do you hope to get out of this experience?

Share a time when you felt really valuable or needed. This might be in your family, at church, or on the job.

WATCH THE VIDEO NorthlandChurch.net/SeeingTheKingdom Use the space provided to record key thoughts, questions and things you want to remember or follow up on. After watching the video, have someone read the discussion questions in the Hear Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Story section and start the conversation.

Hear God’s Story READ 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-21 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 12

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 15

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 21

RESPOND Verse 13 is a revolutionary statement. Paul is saying that groups of people who are culturally, socioeconomically, and religiously divided are actually united in deep waysâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; whether they like it or not! How is this a mindset change? What does it tell us about the Kingdom?

React to verse 18. Does this encourage you? Challenge you?

Why is it so important that the parts of the physical body are different? Why is it similarly important that parts of the spiritual body function in different ways?

Should we be envious of othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; gifts? Why or why not?

Create A New Story In this section talk about how you will apply the wisdom you’ve learned from the teaching and Bible study. Then think about practical steps you can take in the coming week to live out what you’ve learned. RESPOND What does it mean that we are part of a spiritual Kingdom?

What are some areas in which your thinking needs to change? What would it mean to have the “mind of Christ” in that part of your life?

React to the statement that you are both valuable and needed in God’s Kingdom. Is this a new idea for you? How does it change the way you think about your life?

How has God used other people to influence your life?

Take a look at the Circles of Life diagram below and consider whether there are others who might benefit from being part of this conversation. They might be a family member, friend, colleague or neighbor. Commit to praying for these people and inviting them to join you.

Circles of Life FAMILY

(immediate or extended)

FAMILIAR

(neighbors, kids’ sports teams, school, and so forth)

FUN

(gym, hobbies, hangouts)

FRIENDS

FIRM (work)

Give each person an opportunity to share prayer requests. If you’d like, you can write these on the Prayer and Praise report page. Close your discussion with prayer.

Is the idea of God’s Kingdom new to you? Science fiction fans might have a head start on understanding the idea of God’s Kingdom, because a common idea in sci-fi stories is a parallel or alternate universe. In these other worlds, there is a separate reality that’s like our world in some ways and is very different in others. Perhaps the parallel universe doesn’t experience gravity, or everyone has a twin. Maybe, as in the popular Narnia books, time works differently. As long as human beings have told stories, we’ve been fascinated by the idea of another reality co-existing with our own. Now we’re learning that this is true! Not only is there more than what we experience here on earth, but this other reality is also infinitely better because it’s not just another place with different rules—it’s an entirely new spiritual reality rooted in grace, love, and justice. Don’t worry if you’re struggling to figure out what this means—so did the first followers of Jesus, and God is changing your mind to help you understand.

READ EPHESIANS 3:8-10 e don’t think of the apostle Paul, the author of this W letter, as “the least of all the Lord’s people.” Why would he describe himself this way?

What specific task was Paul given to do in God’s Kingdom?

What is the role of the church, according to this passage?

READ PSALMS 139:13-17 How does this passage influence the way you view yourself? How does it affect the way you view others?

What does verse 16 tell you about God’s plan for your life?

eflect on verse 17 in light of this week’s teaching on R having the mind of Christ.

Daily Devotionals Day 1 READ LUKE 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Reflect: We do not have to worry and fret about our lives. Not only are you valued and needed in God’s Kingdom, but He has also promised to take care of you. Thank Him today for remembering and valuing you.

Day 2 READ COLOSSIANS 3:12-13 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Reflect: Because everyone has value, everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and compassion. This is difficult sometimes, but part of being God’s people is “wearing” compassion and learning to forgive. Ask God to help you grow in the way you show love to others.

Day 3 READ ROMANS 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Reflect: If anything should remind us of our value to God, it’s this — that even before we knew Him or loved Him, Jesus died for our sins. Spend a few minutes meditating on this truth and thanking God for His mercy and grace.

Day 4 READ 1 JOHN 4:19-20 We love because He first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have seen. Reflect: These are strong words! Is your love for other people backing up your claim to love God?

Day 5 READ PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Reflect: What would happen if all of us considered the interests of others as well as ourselves? How does this demonstrate the values of the Kingdom?

Day 6 Use the space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotionals time this week.

Session 2

Seeing I have been sought by God and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m called to seek others.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Seeing that I have been sought by God, and that I am to seek others is living with the mind of Christ. There’s a cartoon in which a young woman greets the pastor after the morning church service. She explains that it’s her first Sunday at the church, and as she shakes his hand she says she enjoyed visiting the congregation. “Great!” he replies. “Now, how do you feel about working in the nursery?” It’s true that many churches are desperate for volunteers, so we laugh at the idea of recruiting someone the very first time they attend. But it’s also true that everyone who follows God has a part to play in the Kingdom and that all of us grow in our faith by serving. We’re not going to start signing people up for children’s ministry the first weekend they worship with us, but we will encourage everyone to contribute to God’s mission. As we’ll learn this week, we are all “recruited” and we are all “recruiters” – we have all been called through God’s love to His purposes, and we have the responsibility to bring others along with us on the journey.

Share Your Story When we share our stories with others, we give them the opportunity to see God at work. Your story is being shaped even in this moment by being part of this group. In fact, few things can shape us more than community. When we share our stories, we can encourage someone else and learn. We experience the presence of God as He helps us be brave enough to reveal our thoughts and feelings. Begin by praying together. This should be a brief, simple prayer in which you invite God to be with you as you meet. You can pray for specific requests at the end of your time together, or stop momentarily to pray if a particular situation comes up during your discussion.

Use the following questions and activities to get people talking. Share something you learned from your Daily Devotionals time this past week. Have you ever been “recruited” for something – a job, a team, a ministry? How did it feel to be invited?

In the last session we invited you to write some names in the Circles of Life diagram. Who did you identify as the people in your life who need to meet Jesus? Go back to the Circles of Life diagram to help you think of various people you come in contact with on a regular basis who need to know Jesus more deeply. Consider ideas for action and make a plan to follow through on one of them this week.

WATCH THE VIDEO NorthlandChurch.net/SeeingTheKingdom Use the space provided to record key thoughts, questions and things you want to remember or follow up on. After watching the video have someone read the discussion questions in the Hear Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Story section and start the conversation.

Hear God’s Story READ MATTHEW 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 18

RESPOND We have the authority to connect people to God because Jesus told us to. Who gave Him this authority (verse 18)? Why? Is this different from the authority Jesus had during His earthly ministry?

This passage says it’s not enough to help others make the initial connection to Christ; we must also “disciple” them. What does that mean? How do we do it?

Jesus has all authority. We are to go into all nations and teach obedience in everything He has commanded. He will always be with us. Why do you think Jesus emphasized these ideas?

Why would Jesus end the Great Commission with a promise not to leave us?

Create A New Story In this section, talk about how you will apply the wisdom you’ve learned from the teaching and Bible study. Then think about practical steps you can take in the coming week to live out what you have learned. RESPOND What was Jesus saying when He invited Peter and Andrew to “fish for men”?

Why did Jesus choose uneducated fishermen to be His disciples? What does this teach you about how He sees our potential?

Is Jesus calling you to step into an area of significant service? Are you ready to follow or are you hanging back?

Why is it so important to use our gifts — not just talk about them?

How can you encourage someone else to find his or her place to serve?

Here are some simple ways to connect with God. Share which ones you plan to try this week, and talk about your progress and challenges when you meet next time. Prayer. Commit to personal prayer and daily connection with God. You may find it helpful to write your prayers in a journal. Daily Devotionals. The Daily Devotionals provided in each session offer an opportunity to read a short Bible passage five days a week during the course of our study. In our hurry-up world, we often move too quickly through everything—even reading God’s Word! Slow down. Don’t just skim, but take time to read carefully and reflect on the passage. Write down your insights on what you read each day. Copy a portion of Scripture on a card and tape it somewhere in your line of sight, such as your car’s dashboard or the bathroom mirror. Or text it to yourself! Think about it when you sit at red lights or while you’re eating a meal. Reflect on what God is saying to you through these words. On the sixth day summarize what God has shown you throughout the week. Give each person an opportunity to share prayer requests. If you’d like, you can write these on the Prayer & Praise Report page. Close your discussion with prayer.

Digging Deeper If you feel God is nudging you to go deeper, take some time between now and the next discussion to dig into His Word. Explore the Bible passages related to this sessionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme on your own, jotting your reflections in a journal or in this study guide. Want to go deeper? Select a few verses and try paraphrasing them: writing them in your own words. If you like, share them with the group the next time you meet. The Bible mentions a number of spiritual gifts that God gives His people when they choose to follow Him. Here are some of these gifts. Exhortation Service Leadership Administration Prophecy Discernment Teaching Faith Giving Evangelism Mercy Hospitality See Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 for more.

Do you recognize any of them in yourself? Do you see any of them in your spouse, your children, or your friends? How can you use those gifts to bless others?

READ 1 PETER 4:10-11 ow is using our gifts an opportunity to administer Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s H grace?

What promise is implied in verse 11 to those who serve?

What does the end of this passage remind us about the ultimate goal of our service?

READ 2 TIMOTHY 1:9-10 Why does Paul clarify in verse 9 that our calling is not tied to our own choices?

What does it mean to live a holy life?

ow would accepting this calling change your life? How H could it change the way you see others in the Kingdom?

Daily Devotionals Day 1 READ ROMANS 8:29 For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Reflect: Jesus is our model for what it means to live on mission and to invite others into the mission. Today, pray for your many brothers and sisters — in our church and beyond — who are striving to use their gifts in meaningful ways.

Day 2 READ 1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-27 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. Reflect: Just as God can use fishermen and tax collectors to build His Church, He can use each one of us to expand His Kingdom. Thank God for the way He uses the weak to show His strength!

Day 3 READ PHILIPPIANS 1:4-6 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Reflect: We do not have to worry about our ability to serve Jesus — He has not only called us, He has promised to continue working in us and giving us everything we need.

Day 4 READ 1 CORINTHIANS 7:7B But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Reflect: Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be envious of the ways God has called and equipped others. He has gifted you exactly the way He knows is best, and He loves watching you use your gifts for Him!

Day 5 READ EPHESIANS 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Reflect: No matter who we are or what gifts we have, we are united in our efforts to serve God together. Thank Him for the privilege of being called and calling others!

Day 6 Use the space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotionals time this week.

Session 3

Seeing We are sent partially trained.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

Seeing that we are sent partially trained is living with the mind of Christ. Educational psychologists have popularized the idea of learning styles — that every person learns best in one or two specific ways and that students might need to approach new ideas differently. According to the experts, these learning styles include visual (learning best with pictures and images), auditory (learning best by listening to lectures or discussions) and verbal (learning best while talking and writing). While the theories differ, almost all of them agree that there is also a “kinesthetic” learning style, and that people with this style learn best by doing, trying, and experiencing. God created you uniquely and He knows you might need to see a chart or talk about something to really understand it. However, when it comes to the work of His Kingdom He requires all of us to be experiential learners. We are all valuable and we all have a role to play, but we’re also all sent to serve - often before we feel completely ready! It was true for the first disciples and it’s true of us today - God asks us to learn “on the job,” giving us the experiences we need and demonstrating His power through us as we grow.

Share Your Story Begin by praying together. This should be a brief, simple prayer in which you invite God to be with you as you meet. You can pray for specific requests at the end of your time together, or stop momentarily to pray if a particular situation comes up during your discussion. Then use the following questions and activities to get people talking. Share something you learned from your Daily Devotionals time this past week.

What kind of training have you received for the jobs youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve held?

Hear God’s Story READ 1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-4 When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

RESPOND Do you ever feel like you need to be a great speaker or a biblical scholar in order to share your faith? How does this passage change your perspective?

What does it mean to “know nothing” except Christ?

The apostle Paul, who wrote these words, became a hero of the faith and he wrote much of the New Testament! Why would he have begun his ministry to the Corinthians in “great fear”?

What’s more important than our own skill or training? (verses 4-5)

Create A New Story In this section talk about how you will apply the wisdom youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned from the teaching and Bible study. Then, think about practical steps you can take in the coming week to live out what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned. RESPOND Why did Jesus send His disciples out only partially trained? Why does He do the same with us?

What are some things the disciples would have learned from being sent out to teach, preach, and heal? How would those lessons have helped them later become leaders in the early church?

What are some things you have learned about God by serving Him or by using your gifts? Could you have learned those things another way?

In what area do you need a little training in order to be more effective in the Kingdom?

What steps will you take this week to grow in your relationship with God? If you’ve focused on prayer in past weeks, maybe you’ll want to direct your attention to scripture this week. If you’ve been reading God’s Word consistently, perhaps you’ll want to take it deeper and try memorizing a verse. Tell the group which one you plan to try this week, and talk about your progress and challenges when you meet next time.

Give each person an opportunity to share prayer requests. If you’d like, you can write these on the Prayer & Praise Report page. Close your discussion with prayer.

Digging Deeper If you feel God is nudging you to go deeper, take some time between now and our next discussion to dig into His Word. Explore the Bible passages related to this sessionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme on your own, jotting your reflections in a journal or in this study guide. Want to go deeper? Select a few verses and try paraphrasing them: writing them in your own words. If you like, share them with the group the next time you meet. In the passage we studied this week from 1 Corinthians 2, Paul describes his first visit to Corinth and the beginning of his ministry there. We find the details of that visit in Acts 18, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting to read that account in light of the words in 1 Corinthians. This week our passages for additional study will come from this chapter in Acts.

READ ACTS 18:1-8 What does Paul do in Corinth besides preach? Why does he choose this profession?

hy would the Jews have become abusive to Paul? W How did his preaching offend them?

ow do these first experiences in Corinth give Paul H insight into his calling?

READ ACTS 18:9-17 How are verses 9-11 an example of God training someone â&#x20AC;&#x153;on the jobâ&#x20AC;??

Does this passage give you any new insight on 1 Corinthians 2? Why might Paul have approached his ministry in Corinth with fear and trembling?

oes opposition or resistance mean that God has not D sent you?

Daily Devotionals Day 1 READ PROVERBS 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Reflect: Remember, God doesn’t train us partially because He doesn’t want us to be effective – He does it so we will have to depend on His wisdom and guidance. Ask the Lord to help you trust Him with all your heart as He directs your steps.

Day 2 READ PHILIPPIANS 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Reflect: If we’re walking with God and obeying Him, we never have to worry – no matter what He calls us to, He will give us everything we need.

Day 3 READ 2 PETER 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Reflect: One way we receive the “training” we need is by getting to know God and His Word better. Being in this group is a great way to grow in your knowledge of God. What are some other ways you can grow?

Day 4 READ JOHN 15:4 Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. Reflect: You receive what you need for ministry – and for life – by staying connected to Jesus. Today, thank Jesus for being your “Vine” and ask Him for whatever you need to bear fruit that will glorify Him.

Day 5 READ HEBREWS 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Reflect: What a wonderful passage to end our week. Meditate on these verses today and thank God that He truly is giving you everything you need to do His will and to please Him!

Day 6 Use the following space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotionals time this week.

Session 4

Seeing Repentance brings rehabilitation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:Â The old has gone, the new is here!Â 2 Corinthians 5:17 48

Seeing that repentance brings rehabilitation is living with the mind of Christ. The image of the Christian on a street corner calling people to repent has become a cliché. Sometimes the Christian is carrying a big sign urging repentance because “the end is near;” sometimes the person is shouting it through a bullhorn or trying to pass out flyers that will convince others of their sin. We roll our eyes at these people and wonder why they have to be so obnoxious. Don’t they know these messages just make people angry? Aren’t there better ways to reach the lost? We’re not suggesting that you start carrying signs or shouting on the street, but it’s interesting to consider that Jesus began with exactly this same message. From the earliest days of His ministry, Jesus told people to repent from their sin. However, He wasn’t calling His listeners to apologies rooted in guilt. Instead, His message was an invitation to find new purpose and a new start. In the Kingdom, repentance is about recognizing our need for God and reorienting our lives in His direction. Today, we’ll learn more about what it really means to repent and why it’s the foundation for God rebuilding our lives.

What does it mean to repent? How have you heard this word used in the past?

Take some time for each person to share about how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing on the challenge of inviting the people in the Circles of Life diagram to church or your group. What future conversations are you praying about?

Hear God’s Story READ 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 17

RESPOND How is repentance a key part of becoming a new creation in Christ?

What is the “ministry of reconciliation” that God has given us?

What a privilege it is to be an ambassador for Christ! How can you spread the news that God wants people to repent and be reconciled with Him?

What does it mean that God made “Him who had no sin” (Jesus) to “be sin”? How does that make us right with God?

Create A New Story In this section talk about how you will apply the wisdom you’ve learned from the teaching and Bible study. Then, think about practical steps you can take in the coming week to live out what you’ve learned. RESPOND Repentance is a recognition; it’s realizing you’re not enough on your own. What are some areas of life where you know you need Jesus’ help?

If you feel comfortable, share one way God is rehabilitating you by helping you recover from hurting others or being hurt. Share only what you are comfortable sharing.

Why do we try to rehabilitate our lives with willpower? Why are those efforts unsuccessful?

Why is it so important that repentance and rehabilitation happen in community with others?

Spend some time praying about those you know who might respond to a simple invitation: to come to a church service, to be part of these discussions, or even to just have coffee and talk about spiritual matters. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind people you can pray for.

READ 1 JOHN 1:8-10 otice that verse 8 says we deceive ourselves, not N others! What does it mean if the truth is not in us?

hat must we do to be forgiven? What does it mean to be W purified from unrighteousness?

How does denying our sin make Christ “a liar”?

READ EPHESIANS 2:19-22 hat rights and privileges do we receive when we turn W back to God?

How is Jesus the “cornerstone” of our faith? How does building on this foundation allow us to be rehabilitated?

Where do you see this passage emphasizing the importance of community?

Daily Devotionals Day 1 READ PSALM 103:9-10 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Reflect: Spend some time today thanking God that He does not treat us as our sins deserve, but instead shows us grace and compassion when we repent and turn back to Him.

Day 2 READ PSALM 32:5 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.â&#x20AC;? And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Reflect: God knows what we have done, whether we tell Him or not. Why is repentance still important to our relationship with Him?

Day 3 READ MATTHEW 6:33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Reflect: When we seek the things of the Kingdom, we always receive much more. Ask God to help you put His Kingdom and His righteousness above everything else!

Day 4 READ PSALM 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Reflect: God wants us to repent so He can restore and rebuild. Are you experiencing His joy and strength?

Day 5 READ HEBREWS 4:16 Let us then approach Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Reflect: We have made mistakes, but we are deeply loved by God. If we have put our faith in Jesus, we can approach Him with confidence and He will help us with anything we face. Repent of your sins today, and praise God for His mercy!

Day 6 Use the following space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotionals time this week.

Session 5

Seeing The church is about relationships.

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.Â Hebrews 10:24 (NLT)

Seeing that the church is about relationships is living with the mind of Christ. We live in a culture that values independence and selfsufficiency, but God designed the Kingdom to be about relationships. In fact, God Himself is deeply relational. In the beginning of the Bible we read that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all worked together to create the world (Genesis 1:26). The grand finale for God’s creation was making human beings in His image – relational beings designed to connect with others in meaningful ways. Each of us is a unique individual, but we’re also part of the Church, and the Church accomplishes its mission as a group. Together we can reach more, love more, and serve more than any of us can do on our own. God is love and this week we’ll learn that He has called us to love others as we follow Him – together.

Tell the group about someone who has influenced your spiritual journey or helped you grow closer to God.

Hear God’s Story READ ACTS 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. 42

RESPOND The community life described here is very different from what we experience today. Why do you think the difference is?

Are there things this early church did that we should be more intentional about doing?

Later on the Church will be heavily persecuted, but here it says they had â&#x20AC;&#x153;the favorâ&#x20AC;? of everyone in the city. Why does real community attract others?

Create A New Story In this section talk about how you will apply the wisdom you’ve learned from the teaching and Bible study. Then, think about practical steps you can take in the coming week to live out what you’ve learned. RESPOND Is it a new idea for you that the Church is not a building or a service – that it’s the followers of Christ? How does that insight change your perspective on the buildings and services?

Why did God design the Church to be relational? Why is it more effective to grow with others instead of trying to do it on your own?

Do you have relationships with other Christians who can help you grow toward God? How has this group been the “personal form” of Church in your life?

How can we, as Christians influenced by Western individualism, begin to practice more of a relational and community approach to the Church?

What steps will you take this week to grow in your relationship with God? If you’ve focused on prayer in past weeks, maybe you’ll want to direct your attention to scripture this week. If you’ve been reading God’s Word consistently, perhaps you’ll want to take it deeper and try memorizing a verse. Share which one you plan to try this week, and talk about your progress and challenges when you meet next time.

Give each person an opportunity to share prayer requests. If you’d like, you can write these on the Prayer & Praise Report page. Close your discussion with prayer.

Digging Deeper If you feel God nudging you to go deeper, take some time before the next discussion to dig into His Word. Explore the Bible passages related to this session’s theme on your own and jot your reflections in a journal or in this study guide. A great way to gain insight on a passage is to read it in several different translations. You may want to use a Bible app or website to compare translations. The Bible doesn’t just suggest that we build relationships with others—it commands it! In fact, there are a number of passages in the Bible you simply can’t obey if you don’t participate in the life of a church and connect with other believers. Here are just a few of those “one another” verses: Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10 Serve one another in love. – Galatians 5:13b Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. – Colossians 3:13a Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. – Ephesians 4:2 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24-25 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. – 1 Peter 3:8 72

READ ROMANS 12:9-18 This passage is full of instructions for living in community with other believers. Which one do you find most challenging?

What does verse 11 tell us is the key to keeping our spiritual fervor?

What are some ways we can rejoice with those who rejoice? Mourn with those who mourn?

READ GALATIANS 6:2-5 How does carrying each other’s burdens fulfill the law of Christ?

This passage says to both carry other’s burdens and carry our own load. The word for burdens means a weight, something heavy that’s beyond our ability to handle alone. The word for load means the responsibility of one person. How does that clarify this passage? What is the difference between the two commands?

Why would verses about pride and humility be sandwiched in the middle of this teaching? 73

Daily Devotionals Day 1 READ ROMANS 15:5-7 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Reflect: Thank Jesus for the ways He’s accepted you, and ask Him for wisdom and strength to accept others in the same way as you grow in relationship with them.

Day 2 READ JOHN 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” Reflect: How does our love for each other show God’s love to the world? What can we learn about God’s design for the Church from these verses?

Day 3 READ 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Reflect: Part of being the Church together is helping each other stay committed to living out our faith. How can you encourage and build up the people in this group? How can you encourage other believers you’re in relationship with? 74

Day 4 READ PSALM 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s people live together in unity! Reflect: What are some ways we as Christian brothers and sisters can work toward unity? Why does this bring such glory to God?

Day 5 READ 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. Reflect: What struggles have you gone through? How can you use that to comfort others and build relationships?

Day 6 Use the following space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotionals time this week.

Session 6

Seeing I am continually being equipped for ministry.

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. Romans 15:2

Seeing that I am continually being equipped for ministry is living with the mind of Christ. God could have decided that His will and His purposes would be accomplished by Jesus alone. He could have told Jesus to stay on earth longer after the resurrection, to coordinate the mission Himself, and to personally supervise the spread of the Gospel message. But as weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned throughout this study, God chose instead to delegate His authority and share the responsibility with His followers, the Church. He has blessed us with relationships with other believers, He is rebuilding our lives on His truth, and He has equipped us to serve others in His strength. What a privilege it is to be part of the Kingdom!

Share Your Story Begin by praying together. This should be a brief, simple prayer in which you invite God to give you insight as you study. You can pray for specific requests at the end of your time together, or stop momentarily to pray if a particular situation comes up during your discussion. Sharing our personal stories builds deeper connections. Your story may be exactly what another person needs to hear, and when you listen to someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story you can help others grow spiritually. Begin your time together by using the following questions and activities to get people talking. What has surprised you most about this experience? Where did God meet you over the last six weeks?

Share something you learned from your Daily Devotionals time this past week.

Hear God’s Story READ EPHESIANS 4:11-16 So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. 14

RESPOND What is the job of the pastors, teachers, and other leaders in the Church?

What does it mean to have unity as a church family?

Why is maturity so important? (verse 14)

What is our responsibility as part of Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body, the Church? (verse 16)

Create A New Story How has God changed your story during this six-week experience? What new things is He asking you to do? What truth has transformed your heart? Think about specific steps you want to take to live a new story, to walk more closely with God, and to be engaged in His Kingdom. RESPOND Why do you think it’s important to God that everyone participates in ministry? Why isn’t it limited to the most talented or the most “qualified”?

How does knowing Jesus equip you for ministry? How does going deeper in your faith make you more effective in serving Him?

How is Kingdom thinking different from worldly thinking when it comes to equipping? How do we measure improvement in the Kingdom? How do we measure success?

What are some ways you can build up other people in this group? What are some ways they could encourage you?

Digging Deeper If you feel God nudging you to go deeper, take some time before the next discussion to dig into His Word. Explore the Bible passages related to this session’s theme on your own and jot your reflections in a journal or in this study guide. A great way to gain insight on a passage is to read it in several different translations. You may want to use a Bible app or website to compare translations. If you’ve studied anatomy or physical therapy, you may have heard of “muscular antagonism.” This term describes why, for instance, we have both a bicep and a tricep; one set of muscles controls extending or expanding, while the other muscle contracts back toward the body. One pushes out, and the other pulls in. Each muscle causes a reaction opposite to the other muscle, and both are needed – after all, if you only had a tricep muscle in your arm, it would be stuck in an extended position and you could never pull anything toward you! In this week’s passage, the apostle Paul describes the Church as a body in which every part does its work with Christ as the head. Under Christ’s leadership, some of us “extend” and others of us “contract.” All of us are needed if the body of Christ is going to “grow and build itself up in love.”

READ ROMANS 14:17-19 ow does living with righteousness, peace, and joy lead H to human approval?

Where do we get the power to live this way?

What is “mutual edification”? How can your efforts to build others up lead to personal blessings, as well?

READ 1 CORINTHIANS 3:6-11 What is our role in God’s work? What is God’s role? Should we be concerned about “getting the credit” when we help others?

In the context of this passage, what does it mean for the Church to be God’s field?

How is Jesus the foundation of the Church?

Daily Devotionals Day 1 READ PSALM 122:9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity. Reflect: When we choose to love, serve, and equip others, we do it for the mission and purposes of God. How can you “seek the prosperity” of someone else for Jesus’ sake this week?

Day 2 READ EPHESIANS 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Reflect: Our words can be a huge part of building others up or tearing them down. How can you use words to encourage someone else today?

Day 3 READ PROVERBS 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Reflect: This verse summarizes much of what we talked about this week: as we invest in and equip others, we grow, too!

Day 4 READ 1 PETER 5:5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because â&#x20AC;&#x153;God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.â&#x20AC;? Reflect: Why is humility such an important part of equipping and encouraging others? Take a moment to pray that God would give you the grace to be humble.

Day 5 READ COLOSSIANS 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Reflect: As we close this study, we come back to what it means to have the mind of Christ. Ask God to help you set your mind on Him, His Kingdom, and His purposes for your life.

Day 6 Use the following space to write any thoughts God has put in your heart and mind about the things we have looked at in this session and during your Daily Devotionals time this week.

Appendices

Memory Verses SESSION ONE

SESSION FOUR

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

SESSION TWO

SESSION FIVE

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

SESSION THREE

SESSION SIX

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:12

1 PETER 4:10

2 PETER 1:3

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

HEBREWS 10:24 (NLT)

ROMANS 15:2

Prayer & Praise Report

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Every day we’re bombarded with messages from the world around us. But how do we know what to listen to? How do we focus on what really matters? If we’re truly going to love God and love our neighbor, we have to see our lives with Christ’s perspective. This six-week series will help you do that — calibrate your vision and live life with the mind of Christ. Through Biblical teaching, group discussion questions, and short daily devotionals, you’ll learn to see that: 1 Everyone is valuable. 2 We are sought by God and called to seek others. 3 We are sent only partially trained. 4 Repentance brings rehabilitation. 5 The Church is about relationships. 6 We are continually being equipped for ministry.

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