Sunday Recap - How To Series
Note from Joel: These questions are just scaffolding to hopefully launch you into good conversation. You don't have take them in order, you don't have to "finish" all the questions. The questions are written chronologically from the sermon, therefore, if you only/always choose the first two questions you may miss the gospel tie in's that typically come at the end of a sermon. A best practice is to make sure you have looked at the questions prior to your group meeting and made a plan about how to facilitate a great discussion.
Main Text: 1 John 1:8-9
1. How is faith related to repentance? (Faith = “acting like it’s true” – N.T. Wright, Repentance = A change of mind that leads to a change in direction/behavior)
2. What’s the difference between repentance and tolerance?
3. Dave said that repentance has three parts: Confession, Contrition and Change.
• Confession (1 John 1:8-10, Psalm 32:1-5, James 5:16) - What has been your experience with confessing sin? How do we know who to confess to? What could confession look like in our small group?
• Contrition (Psalm 51:1-12) – How does David’s example in Psalm 51 help us understand the role contrition plays in repentance.
• Change (Psalm 51:13-17, Romans 2:4) – How do you think God helps people change? What are some things that can help make change sustainable?
4. Martin Luther said: "Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when he said, "Repent ye," willed that the whole life of believers should be one of repentance." What would it look like to make your whole life about repentance?
How to Doubt and Still Believe – 2/11/24
Main Text: Mark 9:14-29
1. Does faith come naturally or un-naturally for you? Consider the Stanley Hauerwas quote: “God is just not THERE for me in the way God is just THERE for some. God is there for my wife, my pastor, my best friend. But God is just not there for me in the same way. Prayer never comes easy for me. I am not complaining. I assume this to be God’s gift to help me think hard about what it means to worship God in a world where God is no longer simply THERE...Most people do not have to become a theologian to become a Christian, but I probably did.”
2. What do you think about the father’s confession in Mark 9:24: “I believe, help my unbelief?” (I believe and I don’t believe) Have you ever felt that way? If so, describe.
3. Austin showed how the father in the story cast the burden of his unbelief back upon Jesus. What keeps us from following the father’s example and trusting Jesus with our doubts?
4. In his book Faith in the Shadows Austin says that “people don’t abandon faith because they have doubts. People abandon faith because they think they’re not allowed to have doubts. What role does honesty play in doubting faithfully? How can we cultivate a community where doubt doesn’t result in the loss of faith?
5. How does the gospel speak into doubting faithfully? (Our faithlessness does not nullify the faithfulness of God (Rom. 3:3) because God loves us unconditionally.)
6. What does it mean when David Bentley Hart says: “Wisdom is the recovery of innocence at the far end of experience?”
How to Pray - 2/4/24
Main Text: Luke 11:2-4
1. How would you describe your experience with prayer?
2. Dave said that the Lord’s Prayer noted for its simplicity and brevity. What are some of the ways we overcomplicate prayer?
3. Dave mentioned several helpful things that can help us pray well. Consistency, Authenticity, Boldness, Dependence, Persistence. Which one of those do you need to lean into the most?
4. What is the Vista Rule of Life? (A Rule of Life is a set of habits that give us just enough structure and direction to grow with purpose toward Christlikeness. Stemming from the Vista Discipleship Pathway, the Rule of Life is a set of daily and weekly habits that are meant to free you from expectations rather than load you down with a heavy to-do list. It’s about doing a few simple things that will remind you that Jesus is enough!)
• It might be helpful to clarify here that the rule of life in an invitation not an expectation. We expect members at Vista to walk the Discipleship Pathway and the vision for small groups is to walk the Discipleship Pathway together, but the Rule of life is an invitation.
5. How can the Vista Rule of Life or something like it help us to be faithful in our prayer life?
How to Hear God’s Voice - 1/28/24
Main Text: Acts 10:1-22
1. How do we overcome the temptation to only seek to hear from God when we need something?
2. Define the terms: What was Austin referring to by the voice within, the voice without, the voice around? (Within = intuition, conscience, desire // Without = Scripture + Tradition // Around = circumstances)
3. Share your experience: When have you experienced convergence and heard from God and/or when have you mistaken intuition/circumstances for the voice of God?
4. When there isn’t convergence in your life, what have you been tempted to rely on in an unhealthy way? The voice within, the voice without, the voice around and why?
5. What role does community play in discerning convergence?
6. Is there currently a situation you feel like God is speaking to you through convergence? If yes, explain.
How to Stay Married - 1/21/24
Main Text: Genesis 2:18
1. What was your reaction to the Peltzman quote: “Marriage is the single most important differentiator when it comes to happiness.”
2. Austin said that God intentionally designs all of us incomplete because God wants to make us need others. Can you think of examples in your marriage and/or your small group community where your incompleteness is complemented by others?
3. What would it look like in your marriage and/or small group if you “went all in”, committed yourself to “good deeds rather than talking it out”, and “embraced the evolution”?
4. What is meant by a “frictionless society” (non-attachment). What are the dangers of a frictionless society?
5. What are some ways we’ve bought into the idea that freedom is non-attachment? If real freedom is finding the right attachments, what are the right attachments.
How to Share your Faith - 1/14/24
Main Text: John 4:1-39
1. What is your experience of someone sharing their faith with you?
2. What is your experience in sharing your faith with others?
3. What are some things that have kept you from sharing your faith?
4. What are some things that have been particularly fruitful in your life as others have shared their faith with you or that you have seen as you’ve shared your faith with others?
5. What are some ways you can be more intentional in looking for opportunities to share your faith this week?
How to Age Well – 2/25/24
Main Texts: Psalm 90:1-12, Ecclesiastes 3:1-3, Proverbs 20:29, Psalm 23:22-23, Psalm 92:12-25
1. Why do modern people seem to be entitled when it comes to the length of our lives in contrast to our ancient forbearers who were more comfortable with the brevity of life?
2. Austin’s first tip to aging well was knowing when we are. How does numbering our days teach us a heart of wisdom?
3. Austin’s second tip to aging well was to know how to be when we are? How does Ecclesiastes 3:3 help with this? What part of your current reality do you think God is inviting you to accept rather than resist?
4. What are some of the ugly things that work in service of greater beauty? Have you experienced that dynamic? How does the gospel speak into this reality?
5. What are some of the implications of the Arthur Brooks quote on fluid vs. crystalized intelligence: “When you are young, you have raw smarts; when you are old, you have wisdom. When you are young, you can generate lots of facts; when you are old, you know what they mean and how to use them.”
6. What are some of the implications of the David Brooks quote on the first and second mountain: “The first mountain is about building up the ego and defining the self, the second mountain is about shedding the ego and losing the self. The first mountain is about acquisition, the second mountain is about contribution. The first mountain is moving up, the second mountain is planting yourself amid those who need, and walking arm in arm with them...You conquer your first mountain. You’re conquered by your second mountain.”
Main Texts: Psalm 90:1-12, Ecclesiastes 3:1-3, Proverbs 20:29, Psalm 23:22-23, Psalm 92:12-25
1. Why do modern people seem to be entitled when it comes to the length of our lives in contrast to our ancient forbearers who were more comfortable with the brevity of life?
2. Austin’s first tip to aging well was knowing when we are. How does numbering our days teach us a heart of wisdom?
3. Austin’s second tip to aging well was to know how to be when we are? How does Ecclesiastes 3:3 help with this? What part of your current reality do you think God is inviting you to accept rather than resist?
4. What are some of the ugly things that work in service of greater beauty? Have you experienced that dynamic? How does the gospel speak into this reality?
5. What are some of the implications of the Arthur Brooks quote on fluid vs. crystalized intelligence: “When you are young, you have raw smarts; when you are old, you have wisdom. When you are young, you can generate lots of facts; when you are old, you know what they mean and how to use them.”
6. What are some of the implications of the David Brooks quote on the first and second mountain: “The first mountain is about building up the ego and defining the self, the second mountain is about shedding the ego and losing the self. The first mountain is about acquisition, the second mountain is about contribution. The first mountain is moving up, the second mountain is planting yourself amid those who need, and walking arm in arm with them...You conquer your first mountain. You’re conquered by your second mountain.”
How to Repent – 2/18/24
Main Text: 1 John 1:8-9
1. How is faith related to repentance? (Faith = “acting like it’s true” – N.T. Wright, Repentance = A change of mind that leads to a change in direction/behavior)
2. What’s the difference between repentance and tolerance?
3. Dave said that repentance has three parts: Confession, Contrition and Change.
• Confession (1 John 1:8-10, Psalm 32:1-5, James 5:16) - What has been your experience with confessing sin? How do we know who to confess to? What could confession look like in our small group?
• Contrition (Psalm 51:1-12) – How does David’s example in Psalm 51 help us understand the role contrition plays in repentance.
• Change (Psalm 51:13-17, Romans 2:4) – How do you think God helps people change? What are some things that can help make change sustainable?
4. Martin Luther said: "Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when he said, "Repent ye," willed that the whole life of believers should be one of repentance." What would it look like to make your whole life about repentance?
How to Doubt and Still Believe – 2/11/24
Main Text: Mark 9:14-29
1. Does faith come naturally or un-naturally for you? Consider the Stanley Hauerwas quote: “God is just not THERE for me in the way God is just THERE for some. God is there for my wife, my pastor, my best friend. But God is just not there for me in the same way. Prayer never comes easy for me. I am not complaining. I assume this to be God’s gift to help me think hard about what it means to worship God in a world where God is no longer simply THERE...Most people do not have to become a theologian to become a Christian, but I probably did.”
2. What do you think about the father’s confession in Mark 9:24: “I believe, help my unbelief?” (I believe and I don’t believe) Have you ever felt that way? If so, describe.
3. Austin showed how the father in the story cast the burden of his unbelief back upon Jesus. What keeps us from following the father’s example and trusting Jesus with our doubts?
4. In his book Faith in the Shadows Austin says that “people don’t abandon faith because they have doubts. People abandon faith because they think they’re not allowed to have doubts. What role does honesty play in doubting faithfully? How can we cultivate a community where doubt doesn’t result in the loss of faith?
5. How does the gospel speak into doubting faithfully? (Our faithlessness does not nullify the faithfulness of God (Rom. 3:3) because God loves us unconditionally.)
6. What does it mean when David Bentley Hart says: “Wisdom is the recovery of innocence at the far end of experience?”
How to Pray - 2/4/24
Main Text: Luke 11:2-4
1. How would you describe your experience with prayer?
2. Dave said that the Lord’s Prayer noted for its simplicity and brevity. What are some of the ways we overcomplicate prayer?
3. Dave mentioned several helpful things that can help us pray well. Consistency, Authenticity, Boldness, Dependence, Persistence. Which one of those do you need to lean into the most?
4. What is the Vista Rule of Life? (A Rule of Life is a set of habits that give us just enough structure and direction to grow with purpose toward Christlikeness. Stemming from the Vista Discipleship Pathway, the Rule of Life is a set of daily and weekly habits that are meant to free you from expectations rather than load you down with a heavy to-do list. It’s about doing a few simple things that will remind you that Jesus is enough!)
• It might be helpful to clarify here that the rule of life in an invitation not an expectation. We expect members at Vista to walk the Discipleship Pathway and the vision for small groups is to walk the Discipleship Pathway together, but the Rule of life is an invitation.
5. How can the Vista Rule of Life or something like it help us to be faithful in our prayer life?
How to Hear God’s Voice - 1/28/24
Main Text: Acts 10:1-22
1. How do we overcome the temptation to only seek to hear from God when we need something?
2. Define the terms: What was Austin referring to by the voice within, the voice without, the voice around? (Within = intuition, conscience, desire // Without = Scripture + Tradition // Around = circumstances)
3. Share your experience: When have you experienced convergence and heard from God and/or when have you mistaken intuition/circumstances for the voice of God?
4. When there isn’t convergence in your life, what have you been tempted to rely on in an unhealthy way? The voice within, the voice without, the voice around and why?
5. What role does community play in discerning convergence?
6. Is there currently a situation you feel like God is speaking to you through convergence? If yes, explain.
How to Stay Married - 1/21/24
Main Text: Genesis 2:18
1. What was your reaction to the Peltzman quote: “Marriage is the single most important differentiator when it comes to happiness.”
2. Austin said that God intentionally designs all of us incomplete because God wants to make us need others. Can you think of examples in your marriage and/or your small group community where your incompleteness is complemented by others?
3. What would it look like in your marriage and/or small group if you “went all in”, committed yourself to “good deeds rather than talking it out”, and “embraced the evolution”?
4. What is meant by a “frictionless society” (non-attachment). What are the dangers of a frictionless society?
5. What are some ways we’ve bought into the idea that freedom is non-attachment? If real freedom is finding the right attachments, what are the right attachments.
How to Share your Faith - 1/14/24
Main Text: John 4:1-39
1. What is your experience of someone sharing their faith with you?
2. What is your experience in sharing your faith with others?
3. What are some things that have kept you from sharing your faith?
4. What are some things that have been particularly fruitful in your life as others have shared their faith with you or that you have seen as you’ve shared your faith with others?
5. What are some ways you can be more intentional in looking for opportunities to share your faith this week?
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