"Striving for Excellence" Discussion Guide

Main Point

God loves excellence. We see it in the way He created the world, arranged the arrival of Christ, and even in the way He made us as individuals. Throughout history, God’s people have stood out as they represented the Lord in excellence. People like Daniel were often given special provision and promotion, as well as the promise of eternal reward, as a result. It’s God’s Will that we live and serve with excellence too. Above all else, serving God with excellence is a response to the excellent grace and favor He pours out on us.

Main Passages

“Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.”
- Daniel 6:3 ESV

 “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”
- Proverbs 22:29 ESV

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
- Colossians 3:23-24 ESV

 Discussion Questions

1. In what areas of your life do you tend to do things with excellence? In what areas do you fall short of excellence?

2. What hinders you from consistently giving your best effort , particularly in life’s most important areas? Why?

3. What will you do practically to grow in excellence this week? How can you be accountable to doing it?

"Relational Unity" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

God loves diversity! We see this in His creation, and especially with people. In Heaven, God’s desire is for every nation, every people, and every language to be represented! We must accomplish the mission of diversity on earth in order for that to happen. But greater diversity leads to greater challenges to relate to one another. The Bible has much to say about how we, as followers of Christ, glorify God through relational unity. We need to love, forgive, and welcome others from inside and outside our spiritual family - because that’s how God treated us in Christ.

Main Passage

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
- 1 Peter 3:8-9

8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace...
- 1 Peter 4:8-10

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
- John 13:34-35

Discussion Questions

1. Do you find yourself interacting with a diverse group of people at work, or in your circle of friends? Is this easy or challenging? How might you be able to present Jesus to those who seem different from you?

2. We’re commanded to bless people, even if they treat us poorly. Why is it hard to practice this command? How can we grow in our ability to bless those who mistreat us?

3. Would people know that you’re a Christian by observing the way you love and treat others? Why or why not? How can you be more like Jesus in the way you love others?

"Spiritual Fervor" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

Our God is amazing! People who have a thriving relationship with Him, or “spiritual fervor,” testify of this fact. King David did that when he declared, “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” God promises that if we would abide in Him, then He’d cause us to be so full of His Spirit that we would overflow. Still, some believers seem to grow in hunger for God while others do not. How do we stay hungry for the things of God? We must first receive good things from Him, then give out good things out by engaging the unreached and serving others. Then, we’ll have room in our souls to receive from God and restart the process. Hunger for God occurs over and over again this way.

Main Passage

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
- John 4:7-10

13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
- John 4:13-14

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
- Psalm 34:8

Discussion Questions

1. How would you characterize your relationship with God at this moment? Is it strong, average, or weak, and why?

2. What stops you from experiencing God’s presence and receiving good things from Him? How can you begin to remove that obstacle to encountering God?

3. Christians are called to engage the unreached, outside the walls of the Church. We’re also called to serve God’s people within the church. Which one of these things do you gravitate toward naturally? How can you grow in the other, and take a step of faith there this week?

"Missional Passion"

Main Thought

Jesus Christ is our Chief Cornerstone! It’s impossible to build our Christian lives, either corporately or individually, apart from Him and the things He cherishes. Jesus was passionate about people, so we should be passionate about people too. The core of God’s plan to grow His Church hasn’t changed since Christ and the Apostles walked the earth. He uses us, the “living stones,” to reach other people and build ourselves into a “spiritual house” together. It’s like playing with Legos: we build by connecting to God and connecting to other people. One life at a time. Brick by brick.

Main Passage

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
- Matthew 21:42

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:4-6 (ESV)

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
- Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

“If you love me you will obey me…”
- John 14:15

Discussion Questions

1. We all come to God because God passionately pursued us. What made you realize that God passionately loves you?

2. One of the church’s responsibilities is to proclaim the Gospel, or tell people about Jesus. Did you take a step of faith to proclaim the Gospel in 2018? How might you take another step in faith to start 2019?

3. Christians are also called to demonstrate the Gospel. We can do as we pray, and God responds with things like healing, prophecy, and words of knowledge. We can also demonstrate the Gospel through the way we live. Who demonstrated the Gospel for you? Who can you demonstrate the Gospel to this week?