growth group guide - a beautiful life culitvating the ... · growth group questions for each sermon...

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Our world can be full of selfi shness, cynicism and confl ict, but Jesus has called us to be diff erent. The good news is that there is a power who can make us diff erent: the Holy Spirit. Join us as we surrender to the work of the Spirit and meditate on the beautiful

fruit that He produces in the lives of believers.

1. Love in a world focused on self (1 John 4:7-21)2. Joy in a world of cynicism (1 Peter 1:3-9)3. Peace in a world of confl ict (Ephesians 2:11-22)4. Patience in a world quick to condemn (Ephesians 4:1-6)5. Kindness in a world of hate (Ephesians 4:25-32)6. Goodness in a world of guile (Psalm 15)7. Faithfulness in a world afraid to commit (Psalm 33)8. Gentleness in a world of harshness (Matthew 11:28-30)9. Self-control in a world of self-indulgence (1 Corinthians 9:19-27)

Sermons

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Sunday Services• Keep this guide with your Bible and bring it with you to church.• Scribble down sermon notes in the space provided.

Growth Group• Take this guide with you to your Growth Group each week. There are

Growth Group questions for each sermon in the series, and space to write down prayer points that come from the study that week or prayer requests from the members of your group.

Personal Devotions• Although this guide is primarily designed for Growth Groups, it can also be

used in personal devotions. A er you have heard the sermon preached on the Sunday, go through this guide and use it to apply what you have learnt. There are also leader’s guides available that give additional information that aid leaders in arriving at Biblical answers. Leaders use these to help them lead the group, but you also may fi nd one benefi cial in your personal devotions. If you would like a copy of a leader’s guide please email [email protected]

Family Worship• Use the Family Worship section to create oppotunities in your home

to discuss with your children what we are learning. Each week there is a memory verse to learn, a hands on activity and a challenge to help develop each Fruit of the Spirit. We encourage you to use this guide to help facilitate these conversations in your home.

How to Use This Guide

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Your group needs to be a safe place for all people to share and to enter the discussion. This means, all members of the group need to follow a few guidelines:

We lead with graceWe respond to one another in light of what Christ has done for us, understanding that we are all in need of His grace, compassion, and mercy.

We treat each other with respectWe can wrestle with ideas and disagree with one another without judgement, personal attack, or dismissal. We don’t laugh at others when they’ve shared and no putdowns of any kind. These are the actions that make others withdraw and feel uneasy about sharing.

We are here to support one another, not ‘fi x’ one anotherJesus does the ‘fi xing’. Give encouragement, speak truth, and point to Jesus. Don’t try to solve or fi x each other.

We commit to confi dentialityWhat is said in the group should stay in the group unless permission is given to share it elsewhere. This is not to create a dysfunctional group that keeps unhealthy secrets. Instead, it is to create a culture of safety where everyone feels safe to share thoughts and feelings and knows that others will not fi nd out.

We do not crosstalk Crosstalk is a conversation during discussion time that leaves others out and can be hurtful. Each person should be free to express his or her feelings without interruptions.

Your group needs to agree with one another that you are committed to providing a safe place to be encouraged and challenged by the word of God and to let Him do a healing, sanctifying work in your lives.

If you have any concerns, you should speak to your group leader or get in contact with our Community Pastor, Ben Fien ([email protected]).

Guidelines for Discussion

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1 John 4:7-21 (NIV) 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifi ce for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confi dence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he fi rst loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

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Family Worship

Hands On:

Overfl owing LoveYou’ll need one large cup per child, Baking Soda, Vinegar, Red Food Colouring, Tablespoon, Measuring Cup, Large Plate or Tray.

Put a large plate or tray under each cup, and place in front of each child. Say “The empty cup represents the emptiness in our hearts without Jesus.”

Put a little bit of red food colouring into each cup. Say “Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for your sin because He loves you so much.”

Add a TBSP of baking soda to each cup. “When you give your heart to Jesus, He washes it clean and gives you the Holy Spirit to help you follow, obey, and love Him and love other people.

Slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of vinegar. “Because He fi rst loved us, the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts bubbles up inside and causes His love to overfl ow out of our hearts and show love to others.”

God’s love within us can overfl ow into love for others.

Fruit In Action: How can you show love for others this week? Maybe it’s by doing a chore for your siblings

or delivering a meal to a family? See how many ways you can show love this week.

The Big Idea: I was created to love God and love others

Verse: “We love because he fi rst loved us.” 1 John 4:19

Love is:Love is patient, kind, rejoices over truth. Always trusts, hopes,

and perseveres. It is not jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t proud, rude, selfi sh, angry, and it takes no pleasure in evil.

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Growth Group QuestionsThis guide is not meant to replace the Sunday sermon but is designed to help you apply the Biblical teaching given on a Sunday in your Growth Groups. If you haven’t already listened to the sermon you can fi nd it at www.bpcc.com.au/audio

Share Together Building authentic and loving relationshipsCheck in with each other. Share what has been new, challenging, or encouraging in your life.

Pursue God Growing in knowledge of God and Christ-likenessREAD 1 John 4:7-21

1. Where does love come from?

2. What is love? Come up with a Biblical defi nition and compare it to the way love is described and defi ned in our culture.

3. What motivation does John give us for loving each other?

4. What does this tell us about the importance of abiding in God’s love?

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5. Do you regularly meditate on God’s love for you? How do you do it? If not, discuss what you can do.

6. How do we know if we are living and abiding in God’s love?

Live it Out Applying what we’ve learnt 7. In 1 John 4:10 it says, ‘This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us...’ Discuss together how you might be able to show this kind of love this week. Think of someone who doesn’t show you love and think about how you can show them love. It may be an act of service, or it may be as simple as praying for God to bless them. Discuss and act.

Pray Together Relating to God togetherShow love to one another by praying for each other. If possible, give each person an opportunity to pray. Ask if there are any prayer needs if they didn’t come up at the beginning of group time.

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1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV) 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suff er grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refi ned by fi re—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are fi lled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

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Family Worship

Hands On:

A Joyful Noise Band

Turn on your favourite worship music. Here are some suggestions

• Joy of the Lord, Rend Collective. • Your Love Never Fails, Jesus Cul-

ture. • Again I Say Rejoice, Israel Hough-

ton. • You are Good, Bethel

Sing, dance, & play your instruments to create a joyful noise unto the Lord!

Psalm 98:4-6 says “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the Lord, the King.”

Fruit In Action: Joy comes from spending time with God. Put aside some time each day to do just that.

The Big Idea: I am fi lled with joy when I spend time with God

M

Memory Verse: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fi ll me with joy in your presence, with eternal

pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11

Joy is:A God-given gladness that doesn’t change if good or bad

things happen in my day. Even in my un-happy moments, I can have joy, because joy comes from being with God. Lots of things make us happy – holidays, swims at the beach, being with friends, lollies, hugs. But happiness doesn’t last, and it never satis-fi es for very long. When we know God and live with Him, we share in His unending joy.

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Share Together Building authentic and loving relationshipsCheck in with each other.

How did you go pursuing love since the last time you met together? Did you put any action points into practice from the ‘Live it Out’ section?

Pursue God Growing in knowledge of God and Christ-likeness1. What is joy?

2. Why could Peter’s audience rejoice even though they ‘may have had to suff er grief in all kinds of trials’ (1 Peter 1:6)? List the reasons that Peter gives.

3. Later, Peter says, ‘though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are fi lled with an inexpressible and glorious joy’ (1 Peter 1:8). What is this joy based on?

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4. What are you normally joyful about?

5. Are there typical things or activities that you look to for joy? > Do they deliver?> Why do you look to them?

Live it Out Applying what we’ve learnt6. How can you cultivate the kind of joy that Peter speaks about? Discuss this as a group and see if there is anything you can start putting into practice. Let the group know what you plan to do and report back next time you meet. Consider asking the group leader to ask you how you went next time you meet.

Pray Together Relating to God togetherSpend some time praying together. Consider spending time thanking God for the future inheri-tance that he has in store for those who love him.

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Ephesians 2:11-22 (NIV)11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his fl esh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

1919

Family Worship

Hands On:

Loud & Noisy Music Comparison vs Peaceful & Serene

Invite your kids into the kitchen to grab a saucepan, or other kitchen items as well as a spoon or a whisk. Tell them to create some music with their kitchen instruments, encourage them to be loud. A er they have fi nished playing their song, gather the items and put them away.

Then turn on a very peaceful song, sit somewhere comfortable and listen to it with your kids. Ask them how it makes them feel.

Have a chat about which song was more peaceful. What made it peaceful? Talk about how even when the world is noisy and busy and scary, like the fi rst song, God gives us His peace so we can be calm just like the second song.

Fruit In Action: When you are feeling worried or afraid about something this week, stop, pray and give thanks. We can talk to God anytime, any place. Ask God for His peace.

The Big Idea: I can have true peace by trusting in God. His peace helps me to not be afraid or worried about

anything.

Memory Verse: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation,

by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7, NIV

Peace is:freedom from being afraid or worried because God is in control

of the whole world. Even when the world around us is loud and busy and scary, we can have peace in our hearts. Because true peace comes from God, not the world. And we can be a shining light to those around us, showing what God’s peace is like.

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How did you go cultivating joy since the last time you met together? Did you put any action points into practice from the ‘Live it Out’ section?

Pursue God Growing in knowledge of God and Christ-likeness1. How do you know when you have peace?

2. What do you think the Bible means by ‘peace’?

3. Who are the ‘two groups’ that Paul refers to in Ephesians 2:14?

4. How does Paul say that these two groups related to each other?

5. How do you deal with hostility between relationships?

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6. What do you think our world needs to solve their confl icts?

7. What was the solution for the hostility Paul referred to in Ephesians? In other words, what brought peace between these two groups?

Live it Out Applying what we’ve learnt8. How can you cultivate peace as a group?

Discuss this as a group and put something into action between now and when you next meet together. Perhaps you might memorise some Scripture relating to the truth that you have peace with God through Jesus. Perhaps, you might pursue peace by reconciling with others if there are issues that haven’t been dealt with in your relationships. Discuss and act.

Pray Together Relating to God togetherShare with the group if there is anything that you are worried about and hand it over to God together in prayer. Thank God that you have peace with him through Jesus and ask him to lead you in a life of peace-making.

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Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every eff ort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

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Family Worship

Hands On:

Sweet Treat Test of Patience

Place one treat in one bowl and a handful of the treat in the second bowl.

Off er the treat to your child before dinner, but let them know they have an option. Either they can have the fi rst bowl that has only one treat in it before dinner or if they wait patiently until a er dinner, they can have the second bowl that has a lot more.

Then talk about it. Depending on which option your child chose you can talk about whether they were patient or not and why they chose to be patient or wait or impatient and eat the treat.

Fruit In Action: Practice patience this week by taking part in activities that require patience. Do a puzzle. Grow some seeds and wait for them to grow. Wait for something to bake.

And give a friend or sibling an extra dose of grace when they mess up.

The Big Idea: I can be patient and wait cheerfully with God’s help

Verse: “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your

love.” Ephesians 4:2

Patience is:waiting with a cheerful and calm heart. It is being able to wait to do things instead of doing what I

want to do right now. But it’s so much more than being able to wait our turn in line at the slide. Patience is also giving grace to others (even people that aren’t easy to get along with) and loving them even when they make mistakes. How perfectly God shows us this. He is so patient with us when we mess up time and time again.

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How did you go cultivating peace since the last time you met together? Did you put any action points into practice from the ‘Live it Out’ section?

Pursue God Growing in knowledge of God and Christ-likeness1. What is patience?

2. On a scale of 1-10, how patient would you say that you are?

3. Do you overlook irritations or grievances from others or do you generally confront them?

4. Should we always confront irritations?

> When should we?

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5. How does Paul motivate the Ephesians to pursue patience?

6. How, then, do we motivate ourselves if we do not ‘feel’ like walking in patience?

Live it Out Applying what we’ve learnt7. Set yourself a practical exercise to help you walk in patience this week and stay accountable to the group.

> Is there something that you o en fi nd yourself irritated by? Perhaps it is the obnoxious driving behaviour of others? If so, determine to bless everyone who irritates you on the roads between now and the next time you meet. Perhaps it is an annoying behaviour of a family member. If it is not sin, resolve to not saying anything to them about it between now and next time you meet. Brainstorm, discuss, act.

Pray Together Relating to God togetherConsider picking out some themes or phrases from the following passage to guide your prayers for patience.

9 … since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fi ll you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualifi ed you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9-14)

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Ephesians 4:25-32 (NIV)25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefi t those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

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Family Worship

Hands On: Your Words are Like Toothpaste

• Wrap a piece of construction paper around a tube of toothpaste (and secure it with tape).

• Write “Words” on the construction paper with a marker.

• Invite your kids to squeeze out the toothpaste onto the plate as fast as they can. They might be surprised how fast it comes out!

• Once they have emptied the toothpaste onto the plate tell them that now their job is to put it all back in the tube. They won’t be able to put much (if any) of the toothpaste back.

• Explain that the toothpaste is just like the words that come out of our mouth. Our words have the power to li people up or tear them down. If we are not careful, hurtful words can spill out of our mouth and we can’t take them back. You can’t put words back into your mouth just like you can’t put the toothpaste back into the tube.

Fruit In Action: Practice random acts of kindness this week.

The Big Idea: I can be kind and value others above myself because God shows me how to do it.

Memory Verse: “Do nothing out of selfi sh ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above

yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” Phillipians 2:3-4

Kindness is:Love lived out. It is valuing others above myself by being friendly, loving, thoughtful, and consider-ate. When I am kind, I really see

others around me and look for opportuni-ties to serve them like Jesus.

• Donate toys and books to a local charity

• Write kind words on rocks and leave them at the park

• Call a grandparent just to say hi • Give a compliment to as many people

as you can • Do a chore for a sibling • Take dinner to a friend or neighbour • Bring bubbles to a park and extras to

share with other kids • Smile and say hello to people you

meet today • Return people’s shopping trolleys to

the trolley bay -Pick up rubbish at your local park

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Did you put an action point into practice to help you apply what you learnt about patience during the last Bible study? If so, share how it went with the group.

Pursue God Growing in knowledge of God and Christ-likeness1. What is kindness? Consider the following passages: Luke 6:35; Romans 2:4; Ephesians 2:6–9.

2. On a scale of 1-10 for kindness, how would you rate Australian culture?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

3. On a scale of 1-10 for kindness, how would you rate yourself?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

4. Over the past 24 hours, how aware were you of the needs of others?

> Did you miss any opportunities to show kindness?

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5. What stops you from showing practical kindness to others around you?

6. Timothy Keller defi nes kindness as ‘Practical kindness with vulnerability out of deep inner security’. Do you think we fail to show kindness because of our fear of vulnerability?

Live it Out Applying what we’ve learnt 7. In the discussion you may have noticed some missed opportunities for kindness. Think about how you can prepare yourself for these opportunities next time. Or, simply think of a practical action of kindness that you can show to others between now and the next time you meet for Bible study.

Pray Together Relating to God togetherShow kindness to one another by praying for one another. Go around the group and ask if there is anything that anyone would particularly appreciate prayer for. Try to be vulnerable with one another.

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Psalm 15 (NIV)1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? 2 The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; 3 whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; 4 who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; 5 who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

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Family Worship

Hands On:

Taste and See Walk

Go for a nature walk together as a family, to the bush or the beach or beside a river. The Bible tells us that God is seen in His creation. Look around at God’s creation and name out loud the ways you see God’s goodness refl ected in nature. As you walk, talk about the ways God has been good to you. Encourage your children to share from their own life.

The Big Idea: God is good and loving to me all the time. Only His power working in me can create goodness in my

heart.

Memory Verse: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8

Goodness is:Showing love and forgiveness, being honest and compassionate toward others.

It is being like Christ. Goodness is only possible through God’s power at work in my heart. Not only can we see God’s goodness displayed through the way He loves, guides, and cares for us, but we can also see it every day in creation. Creation refl ects God—His nature, character, and goodness. Creation points us to the Creator.

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Did you do anything to practice kindness a er the last Bible study? If so, share how it went with the group.

Pursue God Growing in knowledge of God and Christ-likeness1. What is goodness? It may help to describe what someone would be like if they were characterised by ‘goodness’.

2. How does our culture decide what is good?

3. How do we determine between good and evil as Christ-followers?

4. It is confronting in our ‘don’t judge me’ culture to hear the Psalmist say that the righteous person is one ‘who despises a vile person’ (Psalm 15:4). Vileness here is used to describe those who walk in evil ways and in rebellion to God’s commands. Now, of course, this also needs to be balanced with other Scriptures that speak of God’s love for an evil and rebellious world (e.g. John 3:16). But is there a sense in which we really should hate evil (Romans 12:9)?

>Would you say that you hate evil? Why or why not?

> Are there evils that you fi nd cute or funny?

> Why do you fi nd these evils funny or harmless?

> What can help you to think diff erently about them?

> Is there an evil that you want to start ‘hating’?

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Live it Out Applying what we’ve learnt5. Devote yourself to goodness. Have a look through the following actions based off Psalm 15 and pick one that you would like to put into practice between now and the next time you meet. If you’re busy, just think of one simple action point that you can complete that relates to one of the actions.

a. Refusing to slander or insult others (Psalm 15:3)

b. Keeping your word and your promises (Psalm 15:4)

c. Lending money without interest or even giving money away without expecting return (Psalm 15:5)

Pray Together Relating to God togetherUse the following Scripture to guide your prayers:

11 “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorifi ed in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

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Psalm 33 (NIV)1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fi tting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. 4 For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. 5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood fi rm. 10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the Lord stand fi rm forever, the purposes of his heart through all

generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth— 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

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Family Worship

Hands On:

Faithfulness Necklace

Invite your kids to make a necklace of faithfulness with you. With each bead that is strung you can talk about a time that God has been faithful to your family. This is also a great time to talk about what faithfulness is, examples of God’s faithfulness in the Bible, and why it’s so important to be faithful in our relationship with God and other people.

OR

Grab some picnic blankets and head outside with your family to watch the sun rise or set. Talk about how God is faithful to make the sun rise and set every day. He is dependable.

Fruit In Action: Look for opportunities this week to practice being faithful or dependable. If you say you’ll do something, then do it. God is faithful to us, and we can be faithful to

Him and to others.

The Big Idea: God will never stop loving me or break his promises. I can be faithful to Him and other people because He perfectly shows me

how to be faithful.

Memory Verse: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of

your heart.” Proverbs 3:3

Faithfulness is:Being dependable, trustworthy, and loyal in my relationship with God and with other people.

Have you ever stopped to think about how incredible it is that the sun rises each and every day? It’s something that we o en take for granted. God has promised us that, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22. What a magnifi cent promise and just a glimmer of His faithfulness to His children.

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Did you do anything to practice goodness since the last Bible study? If so, share how it went.

Pursue God Growing in knowledge of God and Christ-likeness1. Describe faithfulness.

2. Who in your life would you call faithful?

> Why?

3. How have you seen God’s faithfulness in your life?

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4. What commitments in your life are you able to show faithfulness in?

> In the last week, have you been faithful in these?

> What can you do to pursue faithfulness if you haven’t been?

5. How do you typically respond to diff icult friends or family?

> Why do you respond in this way?

> How can you be a more faithful and dependable presence in their lives?

Live it Out Applying what we’ve learnt 6. There have been plenty of practical questions this week that should have revealed some areas that you can take action in. Tell the group what you are going to do to apply what you have learnt and tell everyone how it went next time you meet.

Pray Together Relating to God togetherConsider practicing faithfulness to each other this week by assigning each other a prayer partner. Let the prayer partners pray for each other to end your time together, and then ask them to commit themselves to praying for their partner between now and your next Bible study.

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Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will fi nd rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

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Family Worship

Hands On:

Gentle Words Jar

Let’s talk about the diff erence between harsh and gentle words. Gather some rocks and some pom poms (or cotton balls). Now pull out a baking tray and invite your kids to drop the rocks on the baking tray. These are like harsh words spoken. Then have them drop the pom poms on the baking tray. These are like gentle words spoken. Ask them what type of words they like to be spoken to them—harsh or gentle?

Now make a Gentle Words jar. Find an emp-ty jar. Print off the Proverbs verse and glue to the jar. Tell them that over the next week it’s their mission to fi ll up the jar with gentle words and actions (aka pom poms/cotton balls). Every time someone in your family shows gentleness in the things they say or do put a pom pom in the jar. Watch your jar fi ll up over the week!Fruit In Action:

How can you be gentle with your hands, words and actions this week? Why not practice gentle-

ness by sharing with your friends and sib-lings, giving hugs to your family, using so and gentle words, being kind to animals, looking for ways to be helpful at home and care for your belongings. Every time you show gentleness, you are showing others what God is like.

The Big Idea: I can be loving, tender, calm and humble in the things I say and do.

Verse: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

Gentleness is:Being loving, tender, calm and humble in the things I say and do instead of being harsh or mean.

When I am gentle with someone, I speak the truth in love. Our good and gentle Shepherd leads us with love and care. Je-sus shows us so perfectly how to be gentle and speak with love.

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