LIFE GROUPS WEEK 6 – FALL 2024
LG VIDEO – WEEK 6 – 02:31 MINUTES
FULL SERMON – 35:01 MINUTES
ICE BREAKER:
- Can you share an experience where love (either from God or others) helped you heal from a painful experience?
SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 1:4-8 NLT
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.[b] 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
Luke 15:11-24 NLT
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
UNcomplicate it:
Observation Questions
- Ephesians 1:4-7: What words or phrases in this passage describe how God sees us? Read the passage out loud and discover all 4 identity markers. How do those markers shape our identity in practical way?
- Luke 15:11-24: What are the actions of the father in this story that reveal his view of his son? How does the father’s love contrast with the son’s feelings about himself?
- How do both passages portray God’s desire for us to live out a new identity in Him, despite our past?
(Answer: Chosen, Adopted, Belong to Jesus, Purchased/Redeemed)
Understanding Questions
- How does the enemy try to accuse us of who we used to be? What are some common thoughts or “voices” of accusation that might play in our minds?
- Why do you think it’s difficult to believe in our identity as God’s chosen and adopted children when we face these accusations?
- How does the father’s response in the prodigal son story reveal God’s response to us when we come to Him with feelings of shame or unworthiness?
- Why do you think the Enemy wants us to focus on our old identity, and what do we risk losing when we believe those accusations?
Application Questions
- How can you remind yourself daily that you are chosen and adopted by God? Are there specific verses or affirmations that would help?
- Think about a voice of accusation or an area where you feel unworthy. How can you counter this voice with the truth of your identity in Christ?
- What practical steps can you take to release your old identity and embrace who you are in God’s family?
Action Steps
- Encourage each other, pray for one another, and commit to reading the Bible this week.
- Consider getting baptized this month! Baptisms are happening Thursday, November 21st and Sunday, November 24th. Sign up at freedom.church/baptism
- Discover God’s purpose & plan for your life in Growth Track. RSVP and learn more at freedom.church/growthtrack
Life Journal Reading Plan
- Day 1: Philippians 1
- Day 2: Philippians 2
- Day 3: Philippians 3
- Day 4: Philippians 4
- Day 5: Colossians 1
- Day 6: Colossians 2
- Day 7: Colossians 3
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