Join us this Sunday! In-Person 8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am, Online 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00am & 5:00pm

Join us this Sunday! In-Person 8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am, Online 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00am & 5:00pm

Join us at the next Sunday worship service:
In-Person
8:00am, 9:30am & 11:00am
Online 9:00am, 10:45am & 5:00pm

Week 1 Sermon Questions For Groups

Fight: Winning  the Battles That Matter Most    

Introduction:

Christianity is not a playground; it is a battleground. It’s not something you do on the weekends. It is your life. Men are created by God for His purposes and His glory. Each man has the heart of a warrior. Having to fight is inevitable, but the question is where and when? A man fights for what’s right. In this sermon we look at the story of Samson. You may be surprised how much we have in common with this guy. By looking at his life, we can learn how to defeat the demons that make strong men weak. In order to become who God made you to be, It’s time to fight like a man.  

Something To Talk About:

God created men to have the heart of a warrior. That doesn’t mean that men should be aggressive, alpha-male bullies. Nor does it mean that women can’t fight for what’s right as well. It simply means that within every man, God has planted a divine desire to fight for righteousness. Men are supposed to respond that way. A man with nothing to fight for quickly becomes a frustrated man. Fighting for what’s right stirs something inside a man. It makes him want to be not just a man but the man. The best man he can be. The premise of this message is about knowing when and how to fight as a man. 

  1. Every warrior has a cause to fight for: Something takes place inside the heart of a man when he finds a cause outside of self for which he is willing to give his life. Inside every man there is a Godly desire to fight for what is right. Listen to Nehemiah 4:14 “Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” What is the most important thing in the world to you. Would you be willing to die for that cause?  Are you really willing to fight for your brothers, sons, daughters, wives, and your homes? Ezekiel 22:30 says, “And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
  1. Sometimes you throw a punch: Ecclesiastes 3:8 says there is “a time for war and a time for peace.” There is a time to fight. That does not mean we engage in fisticuffs at the slightest provocation. Rather I am saying that there are times when you must fight a spiritual battle. We have a spiritual enemy who hates you and who’s coming after you and everyone you love. Sometimes, the greatest way a warrior fights is on his knees as a man of God in prayer. Or we may need to stand up and fight to protect your children from the wrong crowd. Or to fight to maintain your integrity in business. You may see a need and have to fight to meet that need. Throwing a punch is to be on the offensive. So look around today. What are some ways you can rush into battle and meet the enemy head on?
  1. Sometimes you turn a cheek: There were times that Jesus was willing to throw a punch but at other times, He would turn a cheek. Matthew 5:39 says, “But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.” In the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus prepared to give His life and the Roman soldiers came, Peter did what many of you warriors would have done. He drew his sword. Jesus said, “Put your sword away!” Jesus fought the fiercest battle by turning His cheek. He let them beat and whip Him even though he could have called legions of angels to wipe out those hurting Him.  Instead He fought with love and said, “…Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” ( Luke 23:34) Sometimes we fight by forgiving those who hurt us. Close your eyes for a moment and picture that. Someone hurts you. Some one causes you great pain.. You turn back toward them and look at them with love. You choose love over being offensive (getting even) or defensive (walking away). That’s not how most men would respond. We would rather fight or walk away. But Jesus says to stand and stay. And not only that but to love. Love gets looked on as something soft in our culture. But it is anything but soft. Love is fierce and strong and courageous. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Was there a time you were forced to fight? How did you respond and was it the right response? 
  2. What causes are worth fighting for? What wrong things do you tend to fight against most? How has this affected you?
  3. What’s distracting you from fighting for your cause? What will you do to regain your focus?
  4. What type of warrior do you feel God has called you to be? How far do you think you’ve come in becoming that warrior? What can be done to remove the obstacles?
  5. What’s one battle you’re fighting right now in your life? How have you responded thus far?
  6. What can we do this week to be more of a spiritual warrior?

Take One Thing Home with You:

Christianity is not for wimps. I sometimes ask people if Jesus were to walk into the room in which we were meeting and said, “There are those outside on the street who, if you walk outside with Me, will beat you with clubs and pipes. You will be severely injured and may possibly die. I’m asking you now: Will you follow Me through this door?”

Those who have truly wanted to be disciples of the Lord Jesus have made a life-defining commitment to Him. Christians in the early Church made it—and died. Under Roman persecution, Christians were fastened to crosses, coated in pitch, ignited and used as torches at garden parties. Men, women and children were killed by ravenous lions for the entertainment of crowds in Roman arenas. During the Reformation, Christians were tortured, burned at the stake, and drowned. Missionaries have died, some horribly, throughout the centuries.  They worked in areas that lacked the most basic things like running water and a roof over their head.  They went to countries where if they are discovered they face prison or death. Yet, they went. There was nothing wimpy, or soft, or spineless about them. They are warriors.