WEEK 3 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

Activate: Pursue growth

Introduction:

God is on the move and calling His people to get activated right now to be a part of His big plans, even in difficult or uncertain times. In what ways is He calling you to move, to be activated in your faith? Is it doing good works? Pursuing justice? Loving others? Our Activate sermon series allows us to take a closer look at our daily routines and make adjustments to activate what God has placed within us.

Something To Talk About:

If you’re missing God’s peace and feeling alone, search your heart. Think about what you’re pursuing.

Craving rest is natural. We all run around and work ourselves into a frenetic pace that eventually forcibly slows us down or causes our inner “check engine” light to turn on. Whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual rest, we know there has to be another way.
Jesus has been imploring us for years to find this way. It’s fairly easy to find if we pause and hear the words He’s whispered for centuries: “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
He doesn’t ask us to do anything other than come to Him. Jesus is the right refreshment and nourishment we crave. He’s well aware of our overworked hearts and stretched lifestyles and has a softer, gentler way for us. “Come to me,” He says (Matthew 11:28), and no one is excluded.
Rest in Christ will come. And it may come in different ways depending on what we need. He made us, after all. He knows how He formed us and knows the precise comfort, strengthening, and character development that’s right for us. (Psalm 139:13-14)
There will be times when we have a real hunger and desperation for God. There will be times when we can’t get enough of Him. There will be times when we feel His presence in tangible ways. At times like these God will feel close and there will be the intimacy we seek. But real intimacy means we do those things even during times of trial or when bad things just keep popping up, and it is a labor of love to pray, to spend time in the word, and to serve. But always, we want to seek Him, regardless of the circumstances. We must, however, always remember that getting to know God better is, as in human relationships, a gradual and even a lifetime process that requires time, patience, and, above all, a real desire.
How can we actively pursue God? First, we need to recognize our need for God. This is key. We don’t just pursue Him because someone told us to. Instead, we know that it’s the reason we have been created. Next, we need to rely on the Holy Spirit for help.
Next, consider using the resources God has given you. These include prayer, the word, worship, and fellowship with other believers. Christian disciplines are essential, and practicing them regularly helps us greatly in our pursuit of God.
Finally, get back on track when you fall. None of us will do this perfectly. We’ll make mistakes, and we’ll fail. If we were perfect at this, there’d be no need to “pursue.” Lean into God’s grace and receive the strength He gives you by the Spirit. “Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths” (Psalm 119:2-3).

Discussion Questions:

When was a time you felt like you were pursuing God?
How do times of struggle or difficulty lead you to pursue Him further?
How do you pursue God with one another?
Christ’s burden is light, and His yoke is easy. What does that mean?
How do Jesus’ words “come to me” and “take up my yoke” help us understand the gospel?
What does Jesus tell us about His yoke in Matthew 11:30? Why do you think Jesus’ yoke is “easy to bear” and “light”?
In what areas of your life would you say you are laboring or weary? Why do you think people hold on to their burden and not allow Jesus to carry it for them?
Some burdens we carry include emotions, questions, finances, fears, plans, relationships, and the future. Which burdens do you find you try to carry the most often? Why do you tend to carry this particular burden?
What is preventing you from exchanging this burden for Jesus’ yoke right now?
How have you experienced the rest that Christ gives us? What is it like?
How will you or your group put into practice what you’ve learned today?

Take one thing home with you:

What are you pursuing?

We are always in a hurry, but God never is. While He has given us the vision of what we are to become, it may not be a reality yet. We have to let God work in our lives until we are ready.

Don’t be discouraged if where you want to be seems unreachable. No matter your circumstances, God is shaping and preparing you for it. You and I may achieve some success by our pursuit, but it will never satisfy us like pursuing Jesus and waiting on Him to fulfill His plan for our lives.

God alone is our true treasure, reward, and prize. No other person or thing can satisfy us like Jesus or prepare us for what God has planned for us.

What are you pursuing?