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

Join us on October 26th from 5 PM to 7 PM for Trunk or Treat at The Springs! Invite your friends, neighbors, and family!

> 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 11:13-16.

Does anything stand out to from the text or Sunday's sermon?

> Discussion Questions

Living as Strangers and Exiles

The writer of Hebrews tells us that the faithful heroes of the Old Testament saw themselves as "strangers and exiles on the earth." They didn't settle into the world as if it were their final home. Instead, they lived with a sense of movement and longing for something better. God repeatedly called His people to leave one land and travel to another—Abraham left his family in Ur, Jacob traveled back and forth, and the Israelites moved from Egypt to Canaan. Even after they settled in the Promised Land, God commanded them to celebrate the Festival of Booths each year, living in temporary dwellings to remember they were still on a journey. This wasn't just about physical travel—it was about keeping their hearts focused on God's ultimate promise of a heavenly home.

Reflection Question: When you read that God's faithful people saw themselves as "strangers and exiles," what does that mean to you? How is that different from how most people live today?

Reflection Question: Think about a time you moved to a new place or felt like an outsider. What was hard about it? How might that experience help you understand what it means to be an "exile" in this world?

Reflection Question: Do you ever feel "too comfortable" in this world? What things in your daily life might make it harder to remember we're supposed to be longing for heaven?

Seeking a Better Homeland

Hebrews 11:14-16 explains that when people live as strangers and exiles, they make it clear they are "seeking a homeland." The interesting thing is that the faithful people in the Old Testament could have gone back to where they came from—they had opportunities to return. But they didn't want to. They desired "a better country, that is, a heavenly one." God was so pleased with this longing that He wasn't ashamed to be called their God, and He prepared a city for them. This tells us that heaven isn't just some vague, boring place of floating on clouds. It's described as a city—a real place where people live, work, and share life together. God is preparing an actual home for us, and it will be better than anything we've known here.

Reflection Question: The text says the faithful "desire a better country." What do you think makes heaven "better" than anything we experience on earth? What are you most curious or excited about when you think of heaven?

Reflection Question: Heaven is described as a "city" that God has prepared. How does thinking of heaven as a real city (not just clouds and harps) change the way you imagine it? What do you think we might do there?

Reflection Question: How does our longing (or lack of longing) for heaven reflect our relationship with God?

Longing for Heaven While Living on Earth

One of the biggest questions about heaven is this: if we're supposed to long for heaven, does that mean we should check out of caring about life here and now? The answer is no. Jesus didn't ignore people's earthly needs—He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and stood up for justice. The early Christians who received the letter to the Hebrews used their hope of heaven to endure suffering, but they also cared deeply for people around them, which helped the church grow. Longing for heaven doesn't make us less engaged with this world; it actually frees us to love people more boldly. When we know God is making all things new, we can work for good in this broken world without losing hope. Heaven gives us the strength to love the sinful city while we wait for God's perfect city.

Reflection Question: Paul Dawkins mentioned that Jesus could love people deeply because He saw what they could become through His healing power. How might viewing people through the lens of who God is making them to be change the way you interact with difficult people in your life?

> 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.