WEEK 1 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

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Introduction:

Everyone’s life is driven by something, and most dictionaries define the verb drive as “to guide, to control, or to direct.” Whether you are driving a car, a nail, or a golf ball, you are guiding, controlling, and directing it at that moment. At some point in our lives, we may be driven by a problem, a pressure, a deadline, a painful memory, a haunting fear, or an unconscious disbelief.

Bottom line: What is driving your life?

Something To Talk About:

There are hundreds of circumstances, values, and emotions that can drive your life, and five of the most common ones are:

Guilt – Many people live their lives burdened by guilt. They allow this guilt to control them so that their past controls their future. God, though, loves to give them the opportunity for a fresh start. They do not need to live in guilt.
Resentment and Anger – Some people hold onto hurts from the past and never learn to let them go. Eventually this anger and resentment controls them. Warren’s advice is “For your own sake, learn from it, and then let it go.”
Fear – Fear controls many people. By playing it safe and always fighting to maintain the status quo, they may avoid God’s purpose for their lives. These people need to learn to fight fear through faith in God.
Materialism—Most people in our society are driven by materialism. They want to acquire more possessions and believe that security can only be found in having more. This goes directly against Scripture, which says that the most valuable things in life are not things!
Need For Approval – Many people allow their need for other people’s approval to control their lives. They spend their lives worrying about what others think of them.

Conversely, there are five main benefits to living a purpose-driven life. They are:

Knowing My Purpose Gives Meaning To My Life – Humans were made to have meaning. Without purpose, life is meaningless. A meaningless life is a life without hope or significance. This is a profound statement and one that everyone should spend time pondering. God gives purpose. Purpose gives meaning. Meaning gives hope and significance. There is awesome truth contained within that logic.
Knowing My Purpose Simplifies My Life – My purpose becomes the standard to determine which activities are important and which are not. If an activity does not further my purpose it can, and often should, be removed or ignored. My purpose gives me the foundation on which to base decisions and allocate my time and resources.
Knowing My Purpose Focuses My Life – With a determined purpose, I can focus my time and energy on what is truly important. Without purpose, I may always get distracted and change direction. Focusing on a few things that fulfill my purpose will yield better results than attempting to focus on many things that may not.
Knowing My Purpose Motivates My Life—Purpose produces passion. Knowing my purpose will make me passionate about achieving it.
Knowing My Purpose Prepares Me For Eternity – My time on earth is a preparation for eternity. What matters in the end is not whether people remember me after I am gone but what God says about my life. Building an eternal legacy is far more important than creating an earthly one.

Discussion Questions:

Why do we choose the careers we choose? Why do we buy the things we buy?
What would my family and friends say is the driving force of my life (my purpose)? What do I want it to be?
How do you feel about God’s purpose for your life? Do you feel stuck in your life?
What are you passionate about? How can you use your passions to serve others?
Do you spend a lot of time questioning what your purpose is?
How would knowing who you are help you to know your purpose?
When you consider that God knows everything, does that make you feel any differently about His purpose for you?
Is it hard for you to follow God’s purpose for your life? Why or why not?
How can you begin to follow God’s purpose for your life if you don’t know what it is?
What does God want you to do this year? What difference would it make if you acted like life is all about God?
What can you take away from this message? What can you take away from this message and share with others?

Take one thing home with you:

Albert Einstein said, “A life directed chiefly towards the fulfillment of personal desires will sooner or later always lead to bitter disappointment.” One religious mindset that many of us grew up with is “Church is about me.” We think we go to church for ourselves, to talk about how we are doing, or to get some help for our lives. The problem is too many of us don’t understand that God’s plan is so much more than that. God’s plan is more than church attendance, it’s about changing lives. God’s purpose for your life is far greater than your fulfillment, peace of mind, or happiness. It will last longer than your family, ministry, or dreams and ambitions. You were born by His purpose and for His purpose. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point – ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like: “What do I want to do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, and my dreams for my future?” Focusing on yourself will never reveal your life’s purpose because the Bible says in Job 12:10, “For the life of every living thing is in His hand, and the breath of every human being.” But living a life with your ultimate purpose in mind allows you to live beyond your own limitations—to love, sacrifice, and give to others.