SEPTEMBER 24
HOLY LIVING
In order to change our tomorrow, change must first start within us.
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
- What is a bad habit you have that you can’t seem to break? Why is it so difficult?
- What do you think it means to be holy?
3. Read 1 Peter 2:9-12.
Make some observations about this passage (What does the text say?):
- What do you notice and what are you curious about?
Make some interpretations (What does the passage mean?)
- What do you learn about God?
- What do you learn about humanity?
- What does it mean to be a “royal priesthood” and “a holy nation”?
- Why does our conduct matter so much?
Now make some applications (what’s my response?)
- How are you encouraged, challenged, or convicted by this passage?
- What should be our response to this passage?
4. How have you experienced your conduct toward or around those who don’t know Jesus impact their view of Jesus or the Christian faith, whether positively or negatively?
5. What people in your life have impacted you by living holy, or “set apart” lives? In what ways do they specifically live like Jesus and obey His words?
6. Read Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus ends His most powerful sermon with this metaphor.
- Which person are you in this metaphor? The wise or the foolish one? How are you doing at being a doer of Jesus’ words and not just a hearer?
- What circumstances are you currently facing in life that Jesus is inviting you to live holy, set apart? How can your community come alongside you to make that choice?
KEY SCRIPTURE
1 Peter 2:9-12 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
PRAYER
In light of question #7, intercede on behalf of one another, asking for the strength that only the Spirit can provide to help us live set apart. Pray the following over the group in closing: May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
TAKE A NEXT STEP
- For further study on the theme of holiness, watch this video by the Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/holiness/
- Create a Rule of Life using the workbook from Practicing the Way: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5852ec829f7456cfcc0e1c5a/t/5e17be5d7cba366ace1df6e1/1578614383140/ptw_ruleoflife_workbook_.pdf
FOR THE PARENTS
Hey, families! Here’s a look at what we’re covering with your kids so you can help them continue to grow at home during the week.
THIS WEEK
This week, kids hear about how God is the master artist and how His creation reflects that! We will be looking at Days 6 and 7 to see how God people and His day of rest.
THE BIBLE: Genesis 1:31
THE MESSAGE: We saw this month how God is the Master Artist who created a masterpiece when it comes to our world, and especially us. All the different colors, shapes and sizes that He uses reminds us that He didn’t design us to all be similar. He wants us to look at the beauty in all of our differences and celebrate it with Him!
THE BIG IDEA: God gives us rules to help us be more like Jesus.
ASK THIS
Because sometimes you and your kid need a conversation starter that isn’t, “So . . . how was church?”
- What did God create on the sixth day?
- What did God do after He created everything?
- How long do you think God rested from His work?
- What is your favorite part of God’s creation?
REMEMBER THIS
God wants you to know that as much as He loved all He created and called it “very good”, you are His favorite creation! And He wants you to know that every sunrise and sunset, every raindrop and every rainbow, God created it all for you! Don’t overlook the beauty around you and the wonderful things yet to be discovered.
Memory Verse: Genesis 1:31, in case you want to work on them together.
Preschool: “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!”
Elementary: “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!”
NEXT WEEK
Next week, we will start our series Sin vs. Jesus, where we will learn about what sin is and how Jesus defeated sin and gives us the power to do so in our own lives!