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Rip Off

Rip Off

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The words of Jesus in the New Testament can be a source of enormous comfort: “I will give you rest.” “I am with you always.” “I give you my peace.” But Jesus wasn’t just a one-note positivity preacher – he was also known to use his public speaking to shock and challenge his listeners to teach them vital spiritual lessons. Happening upon these lesser-understood passages from the Bible can confuse us even to this day. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Welcome to the first week of Life Groups! Let’s spend a few minutes getting acquainted (or reacquainted) before we begin. Please share your name with the group and if you’ve been a part of a life group at Journey of Faith before. Introduction This week, we’re beginning a new series called Wait, Jesus Said What? We’ll look at some of Jesus’ most startling and difficult sayings and work together to understand the truth he wants us to learn. Today, were going to look at this confusing statement from Jesus: “If your eye or hand causes you to sin… gouge it out or cut it off.” Wait, what? But before we start discussing this, let’s start with something easier! Connect Let’s start our discussion time with some “get-to-know-you” questions. What is something you have completely gotten rid of because you realized you didn’t need it anymore? What is one habit you have successfully changed? Are you more likely to make changes gradually or make one big change all at once? Opening We often try to manage unhealthy patterns through small adjustments. Most of us would rather deal with problems gradually. But sometimes something matters enough that a small adjustment isn’t enough; we need to take it seriously. Jesus taught that sin is like that. Sin is anything that damages our relationship with God, others, or our own soul. Jesus wants us to recognize the damage sin can cause and be willing to take meaningful and sometimes radical steps to deal with it. This leads us to our main idea for the week: We should respond seriously to sin in our lives. Unpack Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward, discuss each of the questions below the verse, before moving to the next set of verses. Read Matthew 5:27-30 In this passage, Jesus uses intentionally shocking language to show how seriously we should take anything that pulls our hearts away from God. His point is not to harm our bodies, but to remove what helps destructive desires grow. What do you think makes Jesus’ words in this passage so startling? Instead of focusing only on the sinful action, where does Jesus direct our attention? What is the difference between trying harder to resist something and changing our circumstances so that temptation has less access to us? How can taking sin seriously actually be an expression of God’s love for us rather than simply guilt or punishment? Read Genesis 4:3-8 In this passage, we read the story of Cain and his brother Abel. God warns Cain that the anger growing inside him is becoming dangerous. God invites Cain to recognize what is happening in his heart before it becomes an action. What emotions or attitudes seem to be growing inside Cain? What warning does God give him? What choices does Cain still have when God speaks to him? What does this passage teach us about dealing with something before it grows into something more destructive? Read Proverbs 4:20-27 In this passage, the writer of Proverbs encourages us to pay careful attention to the direction of our lives, beginning with what is happening in our hearts. What parts of a person’s life are mentioned in these verses? Why do you think the writer places such importance on guarding the heart? What connections do you see between our hearts, what we look at, what we say, and where we go? What might “mark out a straight path for your feet” (v.26) look like in everyday life? Action Step This is where we take what we’ve discussed and put it into practice! Read the action steps below and discuss how you can live them out this week in practical ways. Have an honest conversation with Jesus about your heart. Set aside a few quiet minutes this week and ask: What is happening in my heart that God wants me to notice? Pay attention not only to your actions, but also to the desires, anger, fears, envy, resentment, or other attitudes underneath them. Create some distance from something that feeds a sinful habit. Identify one practical “eye or hand” in your life, something that makes a particular temptation easier to act on. Consider one concrete step you could take to limit its influence or remove your access to it. If appropriate, ask someone you trust to help you follow through. As you think about these steps, what will you commit to this week? Share with the group so...
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