Grace-Snellville - Teachings | gfc.tv

A day without food is uncomfortable because we live by eating. A day without water is nearly intolerable because we live by drinking. A day without inhaling and exhaling is fatal because we live by breathing. Our physical bodies are dependent on so many things beyond themselves in order to survive. And the same is true for our spiritual selves–in Hebrews 10:38, we learn that God’s righteous people “shall live by faith.” But what is this faith? And how do we live by it? Welcome to Hebrews 11. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) Title: Living By Faith // Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This week we continued our series By Faith. In this series we are journeying through Hebrews 10 and 11, taking time to think through what it means for us as Christians to live by faith. In Hebrews 11:1–3, the author invites us to live our lives both being sure about the things we hope for and confident about the things that remain unseen. Through this passage Jon eloquently encouraged us to set the foundation of our faith on the two realities of God’s Promise and God’s Presence. Living life based on God’s Promise means that we are never stuck. It roots our lives in the confidence that in the end it will be ok—that God is working all things for good. Living life based on God’s Presence means believing that we are never alone. It grounds us in the assurance that God is with us—working in us, beside us and through us even when things are dangerous and difficult. The key to living our lives in this posture is surrounding ourselves with both the Word and Witness of God—reading the Scripture and sharing our Stories of Faith. THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Living by faith means living like you are never stuck and as if you are never alone. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): Jon shared that the words from Hebrews 11:1–3 were anchored in the words of Habakkuk which were written 600 years before the life of Christ —“my Righteous ones will live by faith.” What was the setting in which Habakkuk wrote these words? (Assyrian and Babylonian domination) How does this setting apply to the first readers of Hebrews? (they were facing their own persecution) What do the words “assurance” and “conviction” mean? (“to stand under” and “evidence”) What is the nature of this faith? (intellectual, relational, experiential and practical) What two realities are the nature of this faith based on? (the Promise and Presence of God) Mirror (Where am I in the story?): What makes up the foundation of your faith? How has intellect, relationship, experience and practice informed your faith? Who do you know that best embodies the kind of faith we see in Hebrews 11:1–3? How have you seen this worked out in their lives? Which reality of faith is hardest for you to believe—God’s Promise (that you are never stuck) or God’s Presence (that you are never alone)? Why? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): Jon placed a matrix on the screen that helped us see what life looks like living in the two realities of God’s Promise and God’s Presence and what it looks like when we live with just one or neither of these realities (Disbelief, Deism, Delusion and Faith). Which quadrant, besides the quadrant of Faith, do you find yourself living in most? Why? What might it look like to bring more of your life into the quadrant of Faith? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Signature Scripture or Story of Faith Jon challenged us this week to live our lives in Word and Witness by grounding ourselves in scr...

We are beginning a new series from the heart of the book of Hebrews. And as I was reading this week’s sermon Scripture, I came across an arresting phrase: “We are not of those who shrink back.” I don’t know about you, but those words light me up in a powerful way. When I’m facing uncertainty… We are not of those who shrink back. When I’m looking toward the next season of life and work… We are not of those who shrink back. When I’m tempted to prioritize self-preservation… We are not of those who shrink back. I can’t wait to share more of why these words strike me so powerfully as we aim to follow Jesus well together. DOWNLOADS

The Bible tells us a lot of things about Jesus. He is our shepherd. He is our great high priest. He was an expert at squeezing the most out of leftovers for a meal. He died on a cross, and he rose on the third day. He is a genius– “In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). He is the visible image of the invisible God. Also, the Bible tells us that He sure knows how to crash a party. And the party he crashes in John 7 not only marks the change of seasons in his day but leads us in how to navigate through the various seasons of all our lives. All summer long, I’ve been so blessed to preach at the various Grace churches, but I can’t tell you how excited I am to be back on our “home field” in Snellville. Not only that, but we are going to be praying for our teachers and looking forward to the launch of another fall season. DOWNLOADS

I don’t know if you ever stop to reflect on what it means to be a citizen? I know for me, someone who is not a US citizen–but in the process of becoming one–it’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. In Ephesians Paul says that we are now ‘Citizens’ of his household, what does that mean? This Sunday I’m excited to explore with you our heavenly citizenship and really dive into some of the ways that new identity changes our walk with Christ everyday. I’m so excited to be with you all at Grace Snellville and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday! Chris Moerman Pastor, Grace Capital City DOWNLOADS

Our biblical value for this Sunday is- “we are learners, hearing God’s word and doing what he says.” A Jewish man once asked me, “has anything actually changed in the world since Jesus?” What a tension filled question to consider when you see all the brokenness in our societies. Has anything changed since Jesus? How we answer that question directly affects our life as learners of him. In answering that we’ll witness the unmatched influence and genius of Jesus. And then a question will be turned to us- “do you find yourself compelled by the genius of Jesus to the point of following him in every area of life?” I believe if we’re not compelled by Jesus as our brilliant teacher and Lord, then we won’t have the confidence to hear and do what he says. Come let your view of Jesus be expanded and thrown wide open to match how brilliant and worthy he truly is. John Raymond Pastor, Grace Athens DOWNLOADS

This past week was filled with celebration. All around our country American flags waived high, parades marched proudly and families grilled way too much food in honor of the freedom we all so deeply cherish. In America, freedom is something that everyone values. But just because we celebrate freedom doesn’t mean that very many of us are actually living out that freedom in our daily lives. In fact, I would suggest that freedom is one of those words that we too often use without really understanding what it means. Too many times today people define freedom as the ability to do anything they want to do. And if that is freedom then I know lots of people today who are doing anything they want to do but in the end find themselves in remarkable captivity. I would suggest that freedom is not the ability to do anything you want to do. Instead freedom is the capability of becoming who you were always destined to be. This is what the book of Galatians is all about. Nowhere in the Bible is this idea more clear. Here Paul makes undeniable the power of the gospel to make us free. But what is surprising about this freedom is the way in which it is embraced. For Paul, freedom is the byproduct of loving our neighbor. For it is when we love our neighbor that the gospel creates true freedom in our lives. So this week, I invite you to come join us in a discussion of love, freedom and the gospel as we again make this declaration about who we are at Grace—We are Neighbors. DOWNLOADS

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18 I am in Cambodia right now; joining with the many other Grace teams that are out serving around the world this month. As we seek to serve and tell others about Christ there is a key point to who we are that often sets us apart from the many other teams we meet. Our goal is not evangelism alone. Don’t get me wrong. We want people to come to know Christ as their savior, but we are not aiming for belief alone; we are aiming for disciples. Jesus did many amazing things as He walked the earth. He healed people, preached to the crowds, and changed individual lives through His grace. Those were all impressive things, but it was His disciples that he trusted to do the “greater things”. As a part of the Grace family of churches, we desire to not only see people’s lives impacted but to see them impact others. It has been that way from the start and continues to be a distinctive. I might be a little jet-lagged on Sunday, but I am so honored to be back at Snellville to teach on We are Disciples. DOWNLOADS

This weekend I am excited to share with Grace Snellville about our core value of We are DREAMERS, seeing the invisible, hearing the inaudible, and expecting the impossible. Prov 29:18 says, “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;” Sunday we will dive into how we dream, where our vision comes from and what it looks like when a family of churches begins to dream God sized dreams. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) Title: We Are Dreamers // Scripture: Proverbs 29:18 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes As a family of churches, the people of Grace are DREAMERS: seeing the invisible, hearing the inaudible, and expecting the impossible. This Sunday, Ben Hardman from Grace Marietta, explored how we dream, where our vision comes from, and what it looks like when a family of churches begins to dream God-sized dreams. Vision begins with God’s revelation, so we start dreaming by listening to God and going where he leads. It is not just what we see when we dream, it’s how we see those dreams becoming reality. Vision from God includes everyone, not just a chosen few, doing the work of God together. It requires the conviction that God will truly speak and move. Vision gives direction for what God is doing now and about to do next. Vision calls for imagination so that our conviction about where God is leading us corporately is relevant in our current context. When we dream together, both individually and corporately—making space for dreamers to see and hear—we not only begin to hear God more clearly, but we also begin to help others obey God more consistently. As we hear and obey together, we become a community of dreamers who respond to God’s leading in ways that awaken Kingdom dreams and allow our “young people to see visions and our older people to dream dreams”! THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Godly vision is a picture of what God wants to do in us now and through us next. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): Why is it so important to make space for people to dream and to hear from God? How do apostles and prophets ensure that the community of God hears and follows the voice of God? What is the outcome of godly dreaming? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): How are you still dreaming? Do you feel like you are lagging behind or getting ahead of God? Why? If you sense roadblocks to hearing from God, what are they and how can you invite God to break down barriers in your heart? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): Are you surrounded by people who are hearing from God and obeying his voice? Who are the people around you that God is inviting you to disciple into discerning the Good News that God is dreaming for them? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Exercise 5 minutes Have each person share their favorite story from the Bible of how God’s Spirit spoke and moved among his people. Pray and thank God for speaking and moving in the past. Ask him to move in your group in the future. Change IN // Group Activity 5 minutes God challenges us to be Present, Patient, and Perceptive as we dream Kingdom dreams. On a piece of blank paper, write out which of those three words God has impressed most on your heart. Write three ways God is inviting you to be Present and available, Patient and accessible, or Perceptive and aware of his visions and dreams for you. Change OUT // Life Application Assignment 5 minutes As you move in your sphere of influence this week, ask God to impress on your heart three of your family members, friends and neighbors,

Last week we talked about what it means to be the family of God. Every family has rituals. Some are fun, like wearing crazy sweaters at Christmas; some are formal, like praying together before meals or bedtime. Rituals and routines shape our lives, but they are never the goal in and of themselves. The goal is to have rich and meaningful lives and relationships. The family of God has very important rituals as well. And truthfully some of them seem awkward at times. Why do we sing so much? Why do some people lift their hands? Why are church services so introspective at times and so loud and celebratory at other times? What do these rituals mean and how are they helpful? This Sunday, we discuss the biblical rituals of worship and how they fuel our eternal relationship with our Heavenly Father. DOWNLOADS

We are Family. Family Reunions. Family Values. Family Dinner. Family Dysfunction. Family Feud. Family Vacation. Family Meeting. The word “family” can bring up a lot of different ideas and emotions. But what if the concept of family was central to the very heart of God? From the Garden to Abraham to Moses to Jesus to the early church, God has been in the business of creating for himself a family with whom he can dwell. This Sunday, as we dive into the Scriptures and hear stories from our community, we’ll dig into what it means to live as the Family of God. How different would life be if we truly lived as those with God as our Father and Jesus as our brother? DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) Title:  We Are Family ​// Scripture: ​Ephesians 2:19–22 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes Family is defined for people in many different ways. The Bible describes family as being something so much  bigger than just our similarities. From the Garden, to Abraham, to Moses, to Jesus, to the early church, God has  been in the business of creating for himself a family with whom He can dwell. Ephesians 2:18-22 speaks to  how, through the blood of Christ, we are no longer strangers, but are now fellow citizens and members of his  household. Being joined together through all of our differences, strengths and weaknesses, we bring our  beautiful authentic selves to God’s family. We can live in a family that consists of “No weapons, No armor”—a  place free of judgement and full of grace. THE MAIN THOUGHTKeep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Connection is the pathway to family. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): How does the Bible describe family? What are the three barriers to family? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): When was the last time you thought about how you view church? What do you spend your time on? What do the things you spend your time on tell you about yourself? What tools  tell you what to do? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): When was the last time you, as a family,  disconnected from technology? Who are the people in your life that you could be “known by” or who you could  invite into that space? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Exercise 15 minutes Ephesians 2 speaks about God building us together to become a dwelling in which He lives, being rooted and  established in love. Building family takes predictable rhythms, regular reminders, and grace-filled relationships.  What would that mean for you to establish this in your life? Change IN // Group Activity 5 minutes Ephesians 3:17 speaks about being rooted and grounded in love. Building family takes being authentic and open  to the real you. What is one thing you could do to share more of your real self and less of your false self? Change OUT // Life Application Assignment 5 minutes Building family takes time and intentionality. Who do you think about in the “Window” section? Part of family life is  eating together. Talk about hosting a dinner. Who would you invite? CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.

We are pioneers. Have you ever followed someone in your car from one place to another? And then, while you were driving, your lead car made a turn you didn’t expect or accelerated through a yellow light or just drove faster than you’re comfortable driving? Sometimes, following Jesus can feel much the same way… We are far more likely to stay with him, however, if we realize that by nature he will continually lead us across new frontiers and into unexpected places of impact and joy. This Sunday, we are starting a new preaching series across the entire Grace Family of Churches aimed at answering a very simple question: What makes Grace Grace? This week, as we hear from the pages of Scripture and the stories of our community, we will remember that we are pioneers! DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) Title:  We Are Pioneers // Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This Sunday, we started a new preaching series across the entire Grace Family of Churches aimed at answering a very simple question: What makes Grace . . . Grace? This week, as we hear from the pages of Scripture and the stories of our community, we will remember that we are pioneers! From the story of creation onward, we see that pioneering is a part of God’s character. In the life and ways of Jesus we see that he demonstrates this part of God’s nature as he pioneers a new kingdom. We are far more likely to stay with Jesus if we realize that by nature he will continually lead us across new frontiers and into unexpected places of impact and joy. THE MAIN THOUGHT Keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Keep following Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): Who are your favorite pioneers? Why? Who are some of the pioneers mentioned in the book of Hebrews? What was different about the “frontiers” Abraham and Moses were called to move toward? What are some things that hindered Jesus and other pioneers we read about in the Bible? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): Jon talked about a difference in personalities between people who prefer familiar surroundings and a lesser percentage of people who prefer the potential of adventure. Can both personality types be pioneers? What does it mean that there is “a race marked out” for us? Jesus is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. How do you feel when your eyes are fixed on Jesus and you sense him moving you toward unfamiliar territory? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): How can acknowledging the heroes of our faith help us persevere? Is there an area in your life where being a pioneer seems more like a hindrance than being the hero? Is there a frontier that makes you feel uncomfortable? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Perspective 10 minutes Take some time in groups of three to share a story of someone who inspires you. What is the “road less traveled” that God is inviting you to step into as a pioneer? Pray together for the proper perspective to see gospel-expanding opportunities around you. Change IN // Path 5 minutes Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before him. He didn’t let the cost keep him from persevering on the path. Take some time to reflect on your path with God. Your faith journey may have already come at great personal cost. Ask God to reveal or remind you of the joy that has also come through the perseverance of your faith. Ask Jesus to heal any wounds or losses that may need to be addressed. Ask a friend or someone in your community to join you in praying for eyes that are fixed on...

This week we stepped out of our ongoing series “End in Mind” through II Peter to celebrate our mothers. It’s Mother’s Day—a day where all of us stop to appreciate the mothers in our lives. So, this week we stepped into a story that is repeated in three gospels (Matthew 8, Mark 1 and Luke 4) to see how Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother-in-law shows us that Jesus brings healing into our homes. In this story we see how Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful. It’s available in that Jesus enters Peter’s home. It’s personal in that Jesus takes Peter’s mother-in-law by the hand. It’s powerful in that her fever, which had become a chronic condition in her life, leaves her immediately—opening up a pathway for her to serve in response to the healing. And just as this story shows us that Jesus’ healing comes into Peter’s home, so Jesus’ healing power is wanting to intersect our own homes demonstrating to us and others that Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful for all who would engage with him. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) Title: Jesus and Peter’s Mother-in-Law // Scripture: Matthew 8, Mark 1, Luke 4 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This week we stepped out of our ongoing series “End in Mind” through II Peter to celebrate our mothers. It’s Mother’s Day—a day where all of us stop to appreciate the mothers in our lives. So, this week we stepped into a story that is repeated in three gospels (Matthew 8, Mark 1 and Luke 4) to see how Jesus’ healing of Peter’s mother-in-law shows us that Jesus brings healing into our homes. In this story we see how Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful. It’s available in that Jesus enters Peter’s home. It’s personal in that Jesus takes Peter’s mother-in-law by the hand. It’s powerful in that her fever, which had become a chronic condition in her life, leaves her immediately—opening up a pathway for her to serve in response to the healing. And just as this story shows us that Jesus’ healing comes into Peter’s home, so Jesus’ healing power is wanting to intersect our own homes demonstrating to us and others that Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful for all who would engage with him. THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Jesus brings healing into our homes. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): Why is this story important? (It stands in a triplet of stories—Leper, Centurion, motherin-law—and corresponds to the different barriers in the temple concerning those who were “unclean”, Gentiles and women.) How does this story show that Jesus’ healing is available? How does this story show that Jesus’ healing is personal? How does this story show that Jesus’ healing is powerful? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): What areas of your home need to encounter the healing of Jesus? Why? What might it look like for you to believe that Jesus’ healing is available, personal and powerful? How might Jesus be calling you to respond to his healing in your life? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): What might Jesus be saying to your family right now? Why do you think this might be a word from Jesus to you right now? How can you pivot off of this word in your current situation through belief and service? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Family Prayer Take some time in your group this week to pray for your families together. Invite your group to lift up any prayer requests or concerns for people in their nuclear or extended families that might need Jesus’ healing power. Break your large group up into smaller groups of men and women to pray for ...

A few years ago I was invited to Jakarta to be part of a weeklong gathering for evangelical leaders from around the world. The event was fantastic, but by the end of the week I had met several other leaders who were about to go crazy from sitting in meetings. So we decided to hire an Indonesian driver on our one day off and try to get to the beaches in south Java—about a five hour drive. We left after the last evening session, weathered the late-night traffic jams (Atlanta rush hour has nothing on Jakarta at midnight!), and finally made it to the empty maze of smaller roads winding from village to village. Hours later, it seemed like we were getting close to our destination. But then something began to happen to the road. Pavement gave way to gravel. A few minutes later, gravel became dirt. Finally, the dirt dead-ended at several piles of large rocks and a wall of jungle. What we thought was the way to the beach turned out to be the way to nowhere. Of course, we were able to make a U-turn and eventually find the coast sometime just before dawn. But this sort of thing doesn’t just happen in Indonesia; it can just as easily happen in our souls. How do you know when you’re on a road to nowhere? And how can you turn around before you can’t anymore? This is exactly the kind of language we find in 2 Peter 2, where the Scripture teaches us how to recognize and avoid the false roads and false teachers that lead to nowhere (or worse). DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) Title: End in Mind: Watch Out for Destruction Zones // Scripture: 2 Peter 2 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes Peter gives us a sobering warning about teachers with an agenda of lies that seeks to work against the truth that the disciples were instructed to preach and teach. Peter is strongly aware of the danger of false teachers who are hard to recognize. He warns us against the potential of being fooled and exploited by these wicked leaders that deny the return of Jesus and also deny an appointed time of God’s judgment. Even more, Peter reminds us that God sees all hearts and is able to guide those who earnestly seek Him and put their hope in Jesus while keeping the false teachers accountable to His full judgment. THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. False teaching is like a dry spring that leads the thirsty to disappointment. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): How can we recognize a false teacher? (False teachers deny the coming of judgment; downplay the dangers of evil; indulge in desires of the flesh.) Where does false teaching lead? (Destructive lifestyles, “waterless springs” that enslave rather than bring freedom.) What’s the truth about judgment? (Jesus will return, set things right, and we should not grow weary of following Jesus—the center and source for wholeness.) Mirror (Where am I in the story?): Have you ever encountered false teaching? How does Peter’s strong language make you feel? What do you think is the best way to avoid false teaching? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): Does Peter’s warning bring a sense of fear or a sense of hope and purpose? What is potentially at stake for our neighbors who don’t know Jesus? Can we trust God’s Spirit to guide us as we do our best to tell the truth about Jesus and the kingdom of God? BE IT – Practice Change UP // Search Me 10 minutes Psalm 139:23-24 reads, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Sit still with God at least twice this week.

Well it happened again. This week another “would be” prophet predicted that the end of the world would happen on April 23, 2018. And then the 23rd came and went and the world kept on spinning the exact same way it did on April 22nd and on April 24th. I have to admit, every time I read one of these predictions, I immediately have two reactions. First, I’m pretty sure that Jesus is not coming back on the date predicted. And second, I’m haunted by the nagging question, “What if He does?” I know it seems like a contradiction of sorts. I should know more than to even pay attention to the Fake News clogging up my Inbox. But the truth is that while I’m pretty sure God doesn’t buy into the hype of most of the prophecy aisle of the National Enquirer, there is an underlying truth that Jesus is coming back that still resonates in my heart. And that is what makes Fake News so dangerous. It has the appeal of truth but is blatantly false. This week as we continue our journey through 2 Peter, we will see how Peter answers the challenge that he is preaching Fake News by pointing to the second coming of Jesus. The false teachers say that this idea of the second coming is a made up fable, simply fabricated to control people’s behavior. But for Peter, Jesus second coming is not Fake News, it is Good News that helps him make sense out of all of life. So join us this week as we too learn to live with the End in Mind. Because the truth is that when it comes to Jesus’ second coming and Scripture, you are either living into fake news or good news. And knowing the difference between the two makes all the difference in the world. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) Title: End in Mind: Good News Not Fake News // Scripture: 2 Peter 1:12-21 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This week in our journey through second Peter, Peter answers the challenge that he is preaching Fake News by pointing to the second coming of Jesus. The false teachers say this idea of the second coming is a made up fable, simply fabricated to control people’s behavior. However, for Peter, Jesus’ second coming is not Fake News, it is Good News that enables him to make sense out of all of life and empowers him to live with the End in Mind. What you believe about the future has a direct affect on how you live your life in the present. Peter tells us to remember Jesus is coming soon! That fact empowers us to live a life grounded in the anchor of His word and galvanized by experiencing the work of God in our lives. The word of God brings reason and sense to our lives. We have the story to tell of the Good News that we have experienced from His word and in His work. We also have people all around us who need us to tell them the story of the Good News that we have. When it comes to Jesus’ second coming, you are either living into Fake News or Good News. And knowing the difference between the two makes all the difference in the world. THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. What you believe about tomorrow has a direct affect on how you live your life today. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): What did Peter challenge us to remember? What did Peter say was his basis for believing Jesus is returning? What are the two commitments we need to make? How does what we believe impact how we live in the present? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): On a scale of 1-10 how well are you living with the End in Mind right now? How does personally experiencing God’s work in our lives clarify the story of His Good News? Why is being grounded in God’s word so important?

In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul says God saves us by grace through faith, “and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (2:8). Amen! But then what? If salvation is not our “own doing,” why does it seem like after we trust Jesus there is a lot more “doing” to be done? For example, 2 Peter 1:5 tells us to “make every effort to supplement your faith.” So which is it? If God loves us regardless of what we do, why does the Bible still clearly call us to do a lot of things that reflect God’s heart? How are we supposed to live? What does it mean practically to live with an eternal perspective, keeping the end in mind? What are we here for? This is a very important question, and the answer has eternal implications. Fortunately, one of the best places in the Bible to engage these questions is this week’s preaching text, 2 Peter 1:3-12. DOWNLOADS SEE IT // BE IT (WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE) Title: End in Mind: What is the Meaning of Life? // Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-12 ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out. SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes This week we continued our series, End in Mind, through the book of 2 Peter. 2 Peter was written by Peter at the end of his life to remind the church of the great promises of God, so that they would live with the end in mind. This week Jon addressed the question, “What is the goal of being human?” Every religion and philosophy seeks to answer this question in different ways, and many of them have a piece of truth in them. However here in 2 Peter, Peter answers this question in a remarkable way. He says the goal of being human is to share in God’s life—partaking in the Divine Nature. Sharing in God’s life includes living in moral and ethical ways and moving away from destructible practices. But it also includes living a life of effectiveness. In other words, sharing God’s life increases our productivity. Finally, sharing God’s life means living eternally—finding our place in God’s great story and supplementing our faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love. THE MAIN THOUGHT keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion. Sharing in God’s life means living ethically, effectively and eternally. SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes Picture (What is the story saying?): What is the meaning of life? How do different religions and philosophies answer this question? How does Peter answer this question in 2 Peter 1:1–12? (Sharing in God’s life—his divine nature) In this passage, what three things does Peter say sharing in God’s life includes? (Living ethically, effectively, and eternally) What does it mean to live ethically? What does it mean to live effectively? What does it mean to live eternally? Mirror (Where am I in the story?): What are you investing in with your life? How can you “make every effort” (invest deeply) in the things that matter with your life without derailing into legalism (just trying to keep the rules) or licentiousness (just being true to yourself)? How have you derailed into legalism or licentiousness in the past? Which gutter is more tempting for you? Why? Window (How does the story change how I see those around me?): What is one area that you need to invest in yourself to cultivate more of Christ’s life in your life? What is one area you need to invest in beyond yourself to cultivate more of Christ’s life in your life BE IT – Practice Change UP // Supplemental Sanctification Take a moment to engage your group in a prayer exercise by giving God a moment to call your attention to one of the things that Peter encourages believers to cultivate in their lives to supplement their faith—not to earn His favo...