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Scripture: Genesis 2:18-22 | John 15:5-17

Reflection Questions:

1. Real Community Let’s People In: What’s one small way you can let someone into your community?

2. Real Community Works Things Out: Where is God asking you to choose love instead of walking away?

3. Real Community Lays Something Down: Where is God leading you to lay something down for your neighbor?

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Scripture: Genesis 15:1-6 | Luke 7:1-10

Reflection Questions:

1. Why do you think commitment can feel heavy or even frightening? What are we afraid we might lose when we place our lives under the authority of Jesus?

2. Abraham asked, “How can I know?” The centurion essentially said, “Just say the word.” What has God shown you about Himself that helps move you from questioning to trusting?

3. God worked through imperfect and unlikely people like Abraham, Sarah, and the centurion. What does that reveal about the kind of people God invites into His covenant promises?

4. If the power is not in how committed you are, but in the One to whom you belong, how might that change the way you face temptation, fear, failure, or spiritual opposition?

5. When Jesus says, “This is the new covenant in my blood,” what does Communion reveal about God’s commitment to you before it says anything about your commitment to Him?

6. What would change in your life if you were completely convinced that Jesus could be trusted?

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Scripture: James 3:13-18, Matthew 5:1-12

Reflection Questions:

1. What good desire (respect, comfort, control, approval, success, being understood, etc.) has become so important that it now affects the way you respond to others because it has become a demand?

2. We were reminded that “peacekeepers” avoid conflict and “peacemakers” bring truth into the light during conflict. What's the difference between these two approaches, and why does avoiding conflict often create more problems in the long run? Think about a situation in your life where you've been 'keeping the peace' by avoiding a difficult conversation. What would it look like to be a 'peacemaker' in that situation instead?

3. How has experiencing God's grace changed the way you respond to conflict or difficult people? Where is He inviting you to trust His peace in this season?

4. Going Deeper… Read James 3:2-5. How does this passage connect our words to the condition of our hearts? If someone listened to the way you speak when you're stressed or upset, what would they learn about the condition of your heart? What patterns do you notice in your own speech?

   Bonus question for the whole family… When someone hurts your feelings or disagrees with you, what's usually your first response? How do you think Jesus would invite you to respond differently?

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Scripture: Joshua 14:6-15 | Mark 12:28-34

Reflection Questions:

1. Who are your heroes of the faith in the Bible, and why?

2. We have only a brief biography of Caleb in the Old Testament. What made him different from the other heads of the tribes that were to spy out the land?  What animated him with courage and purpose? (See Numbers 13:30,14:5-9,24 and Joshua 14:8)

3. Can you say that you have a grand overarching purpose for your life and is it one that can be directly connected to God in your life?

4. If you are in the second half of life, would you say your purpose for living has changed between the first half and the second?

5. The world's values are often success, wealth, prestige, and power.  If someone close to you were to speak at your funeral, what would they say your real values are?

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Scripture: Romans 12:1-2 | Matthew 19:3-9

Reflection Questions:

1. Our culture often defines intimacy as physical attraction or sexual fulfillment.  Jesus points us toward something much deeper.  When have you experienced the joy of being fully known, deeply loved, and completely accepted?  What made that relationship different?

2. Counterfeit intimacy isn't limited to pornography, it can include hiding behind work, social media, fantasy, busyness, emotional distance, or anything that promises connection without vulnerability.  What "substitute" are you most tempted to run to when you feel lonely, stressed, rejected, or overwhelmed?

3. From Adam and Eve hiding in the garden to our own lives today, shame often convinces us that we're better off hiding than being honest.  Why do you think confession and vulnerability are so difficult?   What helps create a safe place where people can bring their struggles into the light?

4. Paul reminds us that our identity is found in Christ, not in our failures.  How would your relationships and focus on life change if you truly believed you were already fully known and fully loved by Jesus?

5. One of the beautiful truths of the Gospel is that the grace we receive becomes the grace we extend.  Is there someone in your life who needs encouragement, forgiveness, or simply a safe person to talk with?  How might God be inviting you to reflect the grace He has shown you?

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Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-7 | Matthew 16:21-28

Reflection Questions:

1. Our culture often encourages us to hide weakness and project confidence. What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to admit your need for God's grace or the help of others?

2. Paul describes the Christian life through the images of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. Which one resonates most with your current season, and why?  A soldier learning endurance through hardship?  An athlete growing through discipline and submission?  Or a farmer faithfully waiting for fruit that has not yet appeared?

3. Looking back, can you identify a season of suffering, disappointment, or weakness that God later used to strengthen your faith or prepare you to encourage someone else?

4. Paul reminds Timothy to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."  What would it look like this week to rely less on your own abilities and more on Christ's grace?

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Scripture: Jeremiah 2:5-13 | John 14:1-7

Reflection Questions

1. Jeremiah describes God's people as trading the "spring of living water" for broken cisterns. Looking at your own life, where are you most tempted to look for satisfaction, comfort, or meaning apart from Jesus? 
   

2. The message suggests that many of us spend our days distracted, constantly consuming information but rarely slowing down enough to experience God's presence. What habits or rhythms are shaping your heart most right now? Are they leading you closer to Jesus or simply keeping you busy?  

3. Author Arthur Brooks contrasts two very different ways of living.  Without answering too quickly, which formula most closely describes how you've been living lately? Where do you sense God inviting you to repent and reorder your loves? 

4. What is one intentional change you could make to reconnect with the true Source of life? It might be beginning your morning in Scripture before reaching for your phone, sharing a device-free meal with your family, spending time in prayer or silence, or simply making space to notice someone God has placed in front of you. What step is God inviting you to take? 

5. Ultimately, what is one  "artificial" thing in your life that has been promising you life but quietly leaving your soul thirsty?

Message Resource:

• “The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness” by Arthur C. Brooks