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 2 Sermon Questions For Groups

At The Movies –  Creed  

Introduction:

What matters so much to you that, when push comes to shove, it’s worth a fight? What is so important to you that you will step into the ring if necessary? What are the fights that really matter? Perhaps it’s your kids, your marriage, your faith or finances. Just one catch – you can’t go it alone. God did not design you to fight alone. So when do you need the help of others? What fights do you need to hand off to God?  In this week’s At The Movies message: Creed, we look at those questions. 

Something To Talk About:

Like Adonis Creed, we all have things in life worth fighting for. Maybe it’s a closer walk with God, a relationship, your family, etc. When we decide to fight for something, we cannot do it alone, we need someone in our corner. We need trusted, experienced people who can see what we are capable of when we cannot. Someone who can give us the truth, whether or not we want to hear it, and when it is most needed. Not only do we need someone in our corner, but we need to make ourselves available to be in the corner for others.

  1. What is it you are fighting for? We all live for something. We may fight for economic opportunity, or for better health, or better relationships. We may fight to tear down or build bridges. It’s on your mind, on your heart, and you are willing to fight for it. Watching Creed made me think a lot about what I live for every day. What’s crazy about the people in the Bible was that they always fought for God and absolutely nothing stopped them from doing whatever it took to spread the news about Jesus and change as many lives as they could. It was worth fighting for. With God on their side, they were able to fight with everything they had, and then some. But it can be so hard to know when to keep fighting and when to call it quits. I know how hard that struggle feels. God is the only one who can really answer that question for you. Seek Him and trust His leading.
  1. Who is in your corner? Whenever someone says, “I am in your corner,” it is their way of telling us that we can be assured of their help and support. I can think of many, many times where someone has come alongside of me to be right there when I needed them. On the eve in which the Lord Jesus would be betrayed, forsaken and crucified, Peter was boasting that he would be at the Lord’s side and would never abandon him. Jesus knew Peter much better than Peter knew himself as God knows each of us better than ourselves. Jesus makes a remarkable statement to Peter on why he needed God’s help at that critical moment. In these words, Jesus gives us a principle and a promise for our benefit as we are engaged in “fights” on this earth. Jesus is in our corner. He’s got our back. He will train us how and when to fights as Rocky did in the movie Creed. Jesus is in your corner when you need to make a major faith decision and you cannot see beyond today’s circumstances. We need Jesus and sometimes we need others in our corner. We need other Christians who will coach and counsel us, who help us in a fight, who won’t give up or go away. 
  1. Who needs you in their corner? Christians tend to approach Christianity from an individual perspective. “It’s just me and God.” or we assume that the opinions or practical help of other Christians would get in the way of God’s purpose for us or our relationship with Him. But that is not the case. The Christian life is designed to be enjoyed with others. Jesus invested much of His ministry with 12 disciples as His closest friends. He likewise calls us to live in community with one another. The New Testament has over 50 “one another” verses that refer to loving one another, serving one another, encouraging one another, and praying for one another. When you commit to following Christ, you are making a commitment that will influence every part of your life. You are expressing a desire to get to know Jesus more as your spiritual life develops. Because the journey can sometimes be challenging, having the wisdom and experience of other Christians can make the journey a lot smoother. Every Christian will have specific trials, tests, and triumphs that God has chosen for that person. The truth is, while God designed us for a fulfilling relationship with Him, He also said it isn’t good for us to be alone. In fact, He says it in the second chapter of Genesis. Adam had God to commune with, and he had plenty of animals. Yet neither God nor animals filled quite the same role as another person could, so God created Eve to be his helpmate, friend, and more.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In what ways does this message ring true in your life?
  2. What are some things in life that you think are worth fighting for? What are some things in life that you think are worth fighting against?
  3. In the movie, Rocky tells Adonis “Your toughest opponent is the one you are looking at in the mirror,” as Adonis is punching into the mirror. Have you ever felt that you were your own biggest obstacle in in your life? if so, how?
  4. Besides your immediate family, who is in your corner that helps you get up when you are knocked down in life? Who needs you in their corner?
  5. Are you currently fighting a battle that doesn’t matter? Will it matter a year from now? If it won’t matter then, then it probably doesn’t matter much now, is it worth fighting over?
  6. Do you ever find yourself fighting for the wrong reasons?
  7. Is there any area of your life where you’re asking for God’s strength, but still fighting for yourself?
  8. What can we do this week to help us know what we are fighting for, who we need in our corner and whose corner we need to be in?

Take One Thing Home with You:

The best way to find people for your corner and to be in the corner for other people is in joining and becoming integrated into a small group. But small groups require time and commitment to the group to be an effective group. Trust, for example is challenging to create and sustain. It does not happen magically. Small groups are designed to create a safe place for believers to connect on a deeper level, with intentionality. Much like doing everyday life with friends, sometimes you study the Word together, sometimes you pray with each other, lots of times you laugh together, sometimes you process life and questions together, almost always you encourage each other, and sometimes you cry together. Basically you commit to do life together. Over time, groups become their own kind of family with a unique dynamic; no two groups look alike. And over time you will find your Rocky Balboa(s) just as Adonis Creed did.