No Excuses Week 2 – Discussion Guide
Getting Started
Main Idea:
We want every Promisor to have heartbreak and burden for the lost.
Discussion Starter:
Has anyone ever broken your heart? Have you lost an item that you would do anything to get back?
Introduction:
God weeps over the lost and wants our burden to reflect His. He will leave 99 who don’t need help for the 1 who does. Matthew 28:19-20 commissions us to tell others of Him. This is not something we do just once in our lifetime but every day as we are going about our lives. Jesus came to the world, modeled sharing the good news, and commanded His disciples to do the same. Do we believe that stopped with His disciples? They had a burden for the lost and were even willing to die to share what Jesus did for the world. If any of us have lost that passion, now it’s time to get it back.
Encounter God
Primary Scriptures: Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Matthew 9:35-38, Luke 10:1-2, Galatians 6:9
Discussion Questions:
- Pastor talks about a proximity and laborer problem—not a harvest problem. After reading Matthew 9:35-38 and Luke 10:1-2, discuss how we can be better laborers. Discuss where the harvest is in your life.
- In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Paul becomes like those to whom he’s speaking. How can this translate to where you live, work, shop, and play? What’s involved in becoming more like the people around you so that you can share Jesus’ love? (Also, what is not involved? We are still called to be separate from the world.)
- Why should we share our faith and story? Why can’t we simply invite people to church, where the Pastor can share Jesus’ story in a much better way? (HINT: Jesus is more attractive than the church.)
- Jesus leaves the 99 that are safe for the 1 that is lost. Is there a lost one in your life? Make a list of those in your life (where you live, work, shop, and play) that you can begin praying for now, and share the gospel when you are able.
Discovery Bible Method:
For deeper study, as an alternative to the questions above, read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 and use the Discovery Bible Method to explore the passage.
Embrace Others
Suggestion: Consider breaking the group into twos or threes for this section.
Pastor talks about how our lack of proximity led to a lack of passion and compassion. Many of us have not experienced living in a place where the gospel is unknown or hidden underground. In fact, we live in an area of the country where there’s a church on every street corner. If you don’t like one church congregation, there are hundreds from which to choose. Many of our friends and family attend (even sporadically) a church or grew up in a church somewhere. How is it harder to share your faith with people who say they already know Jesus but have no fruit? Are there people you know who need Jesus, but they have been deceived into believing they are believers?
Engage the World Around Us
Engaging at Faith Promise: Discipleship happens best in a small, relational, group setting. If you are not in a group, we encourage you to find one. If you are in a group, who can you invite to come with you?
Engaging in Community and the World: After you have your prayer list (of people who need to hear about Jesus’ forgiveness of sins), make an action plan for one of them. Ask your small group to help pray for that person. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal to you moments when you can start a conversation. And don’t forget that God is extremely interested in them hearing and believing Him.
Expand God’s Kingdom
We are called to multiply God’s Kingdom. What does that look like? How can I, as an individual, expand God’s Kingdom when I still make mistakes and am not a perfect Christian? What if someone says no? There can be many barriers and excuses not to do what God has called us to do. How can you take away the barriers? The fear of rejection? Or not knowing what to say? Practice sharing your story (1-2 minutes) with your family or small group. The most important part to remember is that the power is in God’s word, not the sower of the word. When Jesus tells the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, the skill of the sower isn’t mentioned on purpose.
Leader’s Notes
ALL groups at Faith Promise should follow Jesus Christ and lead others to do the same. Below are the marks of a growing follower and disciple of Jesus.
A follower of Jesus desires to encounter God through deeper study and application of God’s Word.
A follower of Jesus embraces people and values relationships on a deeper level so everyone can grow together.
A follower of Jesus engages and serves the world around them and in their community, through local partners or God-directed opportunities.
A follower of Jesus expands God’s Kingdom through the development and multiplication of disciple-makers, possibly to lead more groups at Faith Promise.
