Know Grow Show

JOY (Living Without Flip Flops) - Intro to Philippians

Know
Are you someone who loves wearing flip flops? Why or why not?
Grow
Acedia is defined as “a gloomy combination of weariness, sadness, and a lack of purposefulness. It robs a person of his capacity for joy and leaves him feeling empty, or void of meaning”. Have you ever felt like this? What led you to feel like this? How did you get out of it?
The church at Philippi started with three key people:
a wealthy Asian woman who feared God,
a native Greek slave girl who was in spiritual turmoil
a blue collar Roman jailer who was most likely very practical and indifferent to spiritual things
Who do you identify with most, and why?
Philippians is full of verses that are worth memorizing - 1:6, 1:21, 2:5-8, 2:12, 3:7, 3:10, 3:13-14, 4:6-7, 4:8, 4:11, 4:13, 4:19. Choose one to memorize and increase your joy level!
Take 10 minutes and watch this EXCELLENT summary video of Philippians - gl/7ckSv3
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Think about your life right now. Spiritually, do you identify more with the Lofoten Islands or Murmansk? Find a place and take some time to be honest with God about how you’re doing. Spend time in his warmth, forgiveness and unconditional love.

Knock Knock - The Tempted

Growgroup questions
Know
What tactics do big companies use to tempt us to buy their produce?
Grow
How would you define temptation to someone who is unchurched?
How do you feel when you give in to temptation?
How is a temptation different from a trial?
In Matthew 26:41 discuss how Jesus tells us to deal with a temptation.
Is temptation the same as sin. Was Jesus tempted (Matthew 4:1-11).
Is it best to resist (James 4:7) or flee (2 Tim 2:22) temptation? When should we flee? When should we resist?
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If you are struggling with overwhelming temptation in your life take some time to read John Piper’s ANTHEM (goo.gl/HfB41K). Though it’s written specifically about battling lust, it’s also applicable to other forms of temptation.

Knock Knock - The Humble

Know
 Someone google “humble bragging definition”. Read it out. Someone else google “humble bragging examples”. Read out a couple. Have you ever ‘humble-bragged’ on social media (be honest!)😊. Why does social media bring out the humble-bragger in most of us?
Grow
In Luke 14:1, why do you think the people at the dinner were watching Jesus carefully. What do you think they were watching for?
Think of a modern-day example where we could apply Proverbs 25:6-7
Who has been an example of humility in your life?
What are some of the criteria we use to assess someone else’s value. What does this tell us about ourselves?
Think of a time when you, in the quiet of your heart, put a price tag on someone and marked them as ‘less valuable than yourself’. What do you think God was thinking / feeling at that moment in time?
Dan quoted William Farley ““Here is the great paradox: the proud man thinks he is humble, but the humble man thinks he is proud”. What do you think? Was Farley right? Why or why not?
Why can we never attain humility by chasing humility? Why is it so hard to be humble?
Tim Keller said that we don’t need more self-esteem or less self-esteem. We need to forget ourselves (he calls this ‘gospel humility’). Share your thoughts about Keller’s conclusion.
How can we forget ourselves? Think of some practical ways.
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What’s one thing that you can do this week to help you forget yourself?

Knock Knock - The Comforted

Know
What is one thing that you have bought because it advertised itself as ‘the most comfortable’?
Do you have any scars? What’s the story (if you feel OK with sharing)?
Grow
What do you think of Vladimir Putin’s statement: “Our aims are absolutely clear: They are a high living standard in the country and a secure, free and comfortable life. A secure, free and comfortable life.”? What do you think were the aims or goals of our ancestors (in the Dark Ages and the Middle Ages etc)?
What is the connection between living for your own comfort and living a meaningful / satisfying life?
Read 2 Corinthians 1:4-5. Discuss the idea that the concept of Biblical comfort develops resilient people in the face of difficult circumstances. How have you seen this in your life, or in the lives of Christians you know?
How is joy different to happiness? Can you have the one without the other?
What’s the difference between false comfort and true comfort?
Read Isaiah 40:31. Do you ever think “God, you don’t care or understand”. How do we know this thinking is wrong?
Read Romans 8:32. Often we think of the cross as the ultimate in God’s giving. However in Romans 8:32, Christ’s death is shown as the start of God’s giving. What does this verse mean by “all things”?
Read 2 Corinthians 7:6-7. Dan talked about comfort cascading down from one person to another (The Church at Corinth > Titus > Paul). When did you experience comfort from a believer that, in turn, you could pass on to someone else?
Why is when we are least comfortable that we are most able to comfort others? What’s the connection here?
Show
Think of ways that you have been comforted. Think of one person this week that God would have you reach out to with the comfort with which you have been comforted.

Knock Knock - The Labouring Pastor

know
Paul’s passion for the church was that Christ would be formed in them. What’s one passion that you have that you want to pass on to the next generation?
 
grow
Paul is writing in a passionate way in the book of Galatians. When you hear a Pastor speak or write in a fiery / impassioned way, does it get you fired up or make you uncomfortable? Why do you think this is?
Paul was fired up about Christ being formed in the church (Gal 4:19). What are some things that as Christians we should be getting fired up about in our church?
Why do you think that Paul, a man, used the image of labour and childbirth to describe what he was feeling toward the Galatian church? What other images could he have used to get a similar effect?
In Luke 18:1 Jesus told the parable of the unjust judge to encourage his listeners to “pray and not lose heart”. In your experience, why is it easy to lose heart when praying?
How does the account of Aaron and Hur lifting up Moses’ hands in Exodus 17:11 encourage / challenge you? How can you apply the principles in this passage into your life?
Think about how the phrase “until Christ is formed in you” can help us live out the three aspects of our Church purpose: Know, Grow, Show. Share your thoughts.
Labour is a time of pain and of promise. What do we need to be ‘in labour’ for as a church family?
Is Christ formed in you? To what degree? What’s one more area of your life that Christ can be formed in? Share your thoughts with your group.
show
In Luke 18:1 Jesus told the parable of the unjust judge to encourage his listeners to “pray and not lose heart”. What’s a situation / person that you need to pray and not lose heart about?
 

Knock knock - The Seeker

know
Have you ever tried a sample / taste of something that really won you over? Or perhaps it did the opposite – it really disgusted you. Tell your story.
Was there anything from Sunday’s sermon that stood out for you?
 
grow
Why do you think the crowds followed Jesus with so much commitment (round the lake, up the mountainside, back down the mountainside, back across the lake)?
Have you ever been full of passion for God one day and then next day woke up with the fire nearly out, like He’s far, far away? What can we do to keep going when our zeal or passion for God is burning low?
What does John 6:26 reveal about the motives of the crowd? If the feeding of the 5000 was a miracle / sign, why does Jesus say that they weren’t interested in the miracle / sign?
Have you ever done something that looked obedient and good on the outside, only to realize that your motives were wrong?
It seems that Jesus was angry / frustrated with the crowd because they wanted Him to feed them. Is it wrong when we come to Jesus asking for our needs to be met? Why do you think He was frustrated?
Why did Jesus use such ‘gruesome’ language in verse 54? What can we learn from this?
What led the crowds to rethink their view of Jesus as prophet, miracle worker and king? (see vv 60 and 66)?
Read vv 68-69 – why was this statement of Simon Peter’s the statement of a true disciple?
In verse 28-29, Jesus said: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent”. Take a couple of minutes in quiet to ask yourself this: have you believed in Jesus, whom God has sent? In the safety of your growgroup, share your honest answer and pray for each other.
 
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Take some time this week to be with Jesus, not asking Him for anything – just thanking Him for what He’s done on your behalf and in your life.