Small Group Discussion Guide for Week of Oct 11-17

SMALL GROUP LESSON SHEETS
WEEK OF OCTOBER 11 – 17, 2009
ROMANS 12:1

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

AROUND THE ROOM

1. This is your first week of Small Group for 2009 – 2010! Go around and introduce yourself, share your name, where you live and where you work/go to school and something surprising that most people probably would not know about you…

2. If a newspaper where set before you which section would your read first? Comics, sports, front page stories, world news, local news, editorial or business? Why?

THE ROUND UP

1. How would you sum up the message from this past Sunday on Romans 12:1?

2. What did the verse strike you the greatest with? Both good or bad?

3. If you were to have given Pastor Eric the week off and taught the lesson on Romans 12:1 what would you have included/excluded? Would you have approached the verse differently? Why?

4. What’s one thing from Sunday’s lifessage that you hope to discuss tonight?

ROUNDING THE BEND

1. Now that you are all “called to the side” what type of life can you all describe together that is truly the life that Paul is calling us to live in Romans 12:1? Take your time, talk through each descriptive item of the life that lives this way?

2. What are ways that you can honestly “Put Yourselves Out There” in order to truly be that living sacrifice for God?

3. At the bottom of the Lifessage Sheets was the following quote: “It is not the ability to produce one big event that makes a true and lasting difference. It is rather living day by day, week by week, month by month as a living sacrifice unto God, consistent, passionate and persistent that will change your life, your loved ones, your future and your eternity.” Do you agree with this? Why? If you do what is it going to take for you to live in such a manner? What are you waiting for? What do you need to happen?

4. Clearly living the life Romans 12:1 is describing is not an easy thing. Read Psalm 62:11-12 together in the NIV version (on bottom of lifessage sheet). What two attributes of God are described within those verses? If you and I are created in God’s image how are we both strong and loving?

WRAPPING AROUND

1. Read Psalm 62:11-12 again. What does it say the strong and loving God is going to do? How does that and should that relate to Romans 12:1 for each one of us individually?
2. Read 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 together. What types of works do you think will survive the fire and which ones will not?

3. Have you ever worked on a building project or team project with less than desirable materials or less than desirable amount of time willing to be spent on it? What happened? According to these verses in Corinthians who is ultimately responsible for the building and the materials used?

4. How do you know God will be fair to each one of us?

5. What typically has motivated you to reach for greater heights in your life? What was the motivation factor in Romans 12:1? Does that make sense to you? Why?

6. Does it motivate you to know that you are building upon the foundation of Christ? Does it motivate you to know that what and how you are building results in a reward? Should it?

7. A sacrifice is a giving up of one thing for the benefit of another. How are you a living sacrifice with your life today?


ONE LAST TIME AROUND

1. Any closing thoughts on Sunday’s teaching?

2. What are your thoughts on being part of a small group? Expectations, hopes and fears?

3. Spend time praying for any specific needs or praises within your group. Spend time praying for your group and the other groups to benefit you all in your walk with Christ. Pray that each one of you will remain patient in the group building process.

4. How can you all share the responsibilities and needs of the group?


Extra Reading for the Week – Mark 8:31-38, Matthew 25:14-30, John 15