Community Group Guide
> Why We Gather
At The Springs Church, we desire for community groups to be a place where we BEHOLD JESUS, BECOME LIKE JESUS, and BELONG IN COMMUNITY. This means that our primary goal for groups is to gather around the transforming presence of Christ. As we gather around the transforming presence of Jesus, we believe by faith that we will be incrementally transformed into His image and likeness. With that in mind, let's begin in prayer by asking the Holy Spirit to lead our time together, move on our hearts, and help us behold Jesus, become Like Jesus, and experince the gift of belonging in community. Let's pray.
> Announcements
- Save the date! Chuch-Wide Potlock is this Wednesday, November 19th at 6:30! Bring your favorite dish, side, or dessert! We’ve got drinks, plates, and cutlery covered!
> Give Thanks
Take a few moments to briefly share about anything that you are thankful unto the Lord for? Perhaps you've witnessed God answer a prayer or experienced a moment that strengthened your faith. Feel free to share any recent occurrences that have encouraged you or instances where you've felt God's presence at work in your life.
> Scripture Reading
Have someone read Hebrews 11:32-40.
Does anything stand out to from the text or Sunday's sermon?
> Discussion Questions
Faith, not perfection
After recounting the role of faith in the lives of many characters from the Old Testament, in today’s passage the writer of Hebrews lists more characters without the time to go over them all. On Sunday, Alberto told their stories, highlighting how each person had clear sins that affected their life and their family. However, each one had faith such that God was able to use them despite their sins. God was able to use flawed people for his purposes. Their weakness made his great power even more visible. This is like how God saves us in Jesus. We do not need to be perfect for God to save us or to use us to build his kingdom. Our trust in Jesus is enough to save us and to make us ready to serve. It is certainly God’s will that we grow in righteousness, but we should never disqualify ourselves for any good work that God leads us to do. God will help us grow as we obey his leading.
Reflection Question: Why do you think God chooses to use people who are not perfect? How does it help you when you think about your own weaknesses?
Reflection Question: When have you felt like your weakness, fear, or mistakes made you think God couldn’t use you? What did that feel like?
Reflection Question: How is God calling you to serve or obey even when you don’t feel ready?
Rejoice by Faith
Read together 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. We do not know what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. What we do know is that Paul found ways to rejoice in his weakness and his sufferings because they allowed him to experience Christ in unique and powerful ways.
Reflection Question: How has God used hard parts of your life to help you experience Jesus in unique ways?
Reflection Question: What do you notice about how Paul is able to celebrate his weakness and sufferings in this passage? What would it look like for you to rejoice in your own weakness and suffering like this?
> Confession and Prayer
Reflect and Pray: As we sit with this passage, ask God to bring to mind anything you need to confess or need prayer for. Take a moment to share and pray for one another. Feel free to split up into pairs depending on the group size.
> Optional Bible Exloration
Together read the story of Barak in Judges 4:4-24. Note that names in the Bible are often very important to give the meaning of the story. Here it is relevant that Deborah means Honeybee (what should the sweetness of honey make you think of?), Barak means Lightning (what should that mean about him as a general?), Sisera means Snake (what should that mean in the Biblical story), and Jael means Yahweh is God. Gospel connection: In the end of the story, Jael crushes the head of Sisera. This should remind us of God’s promise in Genesis 3 that the son of Adam would crush the head of the serpent. This shows God’s victory over evil, but it does not come by the army of Barak (lightning), it comes by the quiet work of Jael (Yahweh is God). This reminds us that the victory is God’s not ours. This points us to Jesus because Jesus did not conquer the devil by armies, but by giving of his own life.
Reflection Question: In what situation do you need to trust in God’s ability to bring you out of trouble?